Political pressure is mounting against efforts by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to issue a formal, blanket permit allowing Israel’s professional soccer leagues to hold matches on Shabbat, with coalition partners and senior rabbis coming out against the measure.

The permit is needed due to a petition to the High Court of Justice filed in 2015 against the state by the Movement for a Jewish State for violating the rights of Shabbat-observant soccer players, who must play games on that day despite the Law for Work and Rest Hours stipulating that Jewish employees cannot be forced to work on Shabbat.