Shas has already announced it will not support the proposed 2009 state budget in its current form, which not only does not reflect a return of monthly child allowance payments, buts calls for additional cuts.

Shas has been leading the war for the return of monthly child allowance payments, instructed by Rav Ovadia Yosef Shlita to remain firm, calling the monthly allowance issues a deal-breaker.

On the other side of the coin is Finance Minister Roni Bar-On, who remains adamant in his refusal to comply with Shas demands, insisting the monthly child allowance policy is a recipe for increased poverty.

Shas once again will be put to the test as budget meetings get underway, having to make good on its word that failure to reinstate the monthly payments that were eliminated by then finance minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, will compel the party to break from the coalition.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)