Shas and UTJ to Join Coalition by Week’s End
Latest update: February 20th, 2013
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Photo Credit: Flash 90
Both Shas and UTJ are claiming they will be in the government by the end of the week and perhaps as early as tomorrow, according to a report in Kikar Shabbat.
Other sources report that the parties have reached a compromise on the universal draft issue that the Gedolim (Torah sages) can live with, as well as the Likud.
JewishPress.com sources say that Shas may again receive the Interior Ministry. The Srugim website confirms that, and adds that Shas was also offered the Minsitry of Religion, an additional ministry to be named later, and Deputy Minister of Education.
The question still stands if Bennett and Lapid will be in the government, or perhaps, if Labor will go in, in their place.
On Israeli TV tonight, Uri Ariel (Jewish Home) said there is no alliance with Lapid, just understandings on specific issues, implying that they could join the government even if Lapid doesn’t. Jewish Home has no problem sitting with the Hareidi parties, while Lapid does.
For the Jewish Home, one of the important issues that they want agreed upon for them to enter the coalition is that the Edmond Levy report be adopted by the government.
Once Netanyahu approaches the needed 61 seats, he can then ask for a 2 week extension to close the last party that pushes him over the top.
But will that last party be Jewish Home, Yesh Atid, or Labor?
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Everyone thinks the Haredi are so stupid but they just outmaneuvered Benett and especially Lapid! Bennett is going to join but be stuck with crap portfolios especially for the 2nd largest partner in the coalition. He could have gotten Interior or Housing if he had joined earlier. Either of those could have had real effect of settlement policy. Now what's he going to get? Education? Tourism? Deputy Finance Minister? Ugh. As for Lapid's party, Likud and the Haredi have a real chance to solve the draft issue and workforce integration issue which would destroy Yesh Atid's very reason for existence. A coalition of 67 or 69(with Kadima) could work reasonably well and very well could be more right-wing than the previous one. Lapid might be left out in the cold.
Congrats to Shas and UTJ who appear to have chosen to compromise for unity of the Jewish people and the welfare of Israel while shamefully Bennet & Lapid chose to try to gain from division and animosity. I hope Shas & UTJ will not hold Bennets behavior against Jewish Home MKs and other Zionist MKs who value Torah and Zion and fought against these divisive and anti-Torah and anti-Hareidim policies. If Bennet doesn't recommit himself to Zionism and Torah I don't think he will lead Jewish Home for very long. Unfortunately this period of infighting has put Livni in charge of negotiations with the Palestinians. Division, Strife, and Senseless Hatred weakens Israel. Division, Strife, and Senseless Hatred weakens Obedience to Torah. Division, Strife, and Senseless Hatred weakens Zionism. Israel, Torah, and Zionism have many enemies – these enemies seek to divide and conquer. The cooperation and unity of Israel, Torah & Zionism is necessary to successfully overcome Israel's enemies.
With Livni, whatever is left of Kadima, Shas, and UTJ, Bibi has 58 votes. He needs 61. Where will he get them, Meretz? Maybe so if UTJ's apparent offer to destroy settlements is for real.
Obama is building an ideologically leftist government. Netanyahu is reaching out to Obama's natural allies to form his coalition. Is there something wrong with this picture?
I find this whole thing disgusting! I hoped we'd have a govt that would tell the Hareidim that their days of living off of hard-working taxpayers was over! And would tell them to stop their harrassment of women on buses! Instead I find that these very people are being offered cushy portfoilios with no conditions! And they make statements like: better to raze settlements than close yeshivot! This is making me sick! And Livni to head 'negotiations?' She'd give Tel Aviv away!
Didn't I read yesterday, UTJ would uproot thousands of Jews from Judea and Samaria in lieu of relinquishing Torah study? Isn't there something contradictory about this proposition since the land of Israel is central to the Torah and our covenant with God?
http://www.jewishpress.com/news/breaking-news/the-mysteriously-missing-religious-alliance/2013/02/21/