The new Communications Minister, MK Dr. Shlomo Karhi of the Likud party, has decided to reverse some of the most controversial and most publicized reforms of his predecessor, MK Yoaz Hendel. Specifically, he is canceling the reforms to the kosher cell phone platforms that were vehemently opposed by those who use kosher cell phones, namely the haredi community.

Hendel had been in the process of implementing far-reaching changes to the way kosher cell phone platforms operate when his government lost power. Among the changes he proposed was allowing kosher SIM cards to be inserted into non-kosher cell phones (those with internet access) without invalidating the kosher cell phone package. Hendel claimed to be acting to benefit the haredi community and bring prices down, although it was unclear how his reforms would have brought about financial savings.

On Monday, at the official ceremony of transferring authority from Hendel to Karhi, the new Communications Minister stressed that, “I intend to cancel the reforms to the kosher cell phone platform within the coming days.”

Karhi added, “The outgoing minister made a decision regarding the ways in which the haredi public uses cell phones. After intensive study of this issue, I realized that the motivations for this reform were not concern for the needs of consumers but rather, an attempt to interfere with the ways in which individuals choose to use their cell phones and to craft the preferences of private individuals.