The recent Labor party leadership election may prove advantageous for the chareidi parties. Newly-elected party leader Yitzchak Herzog has sent a message to the leaders of the chareidi parties that he will not enter into the coalition without them.
The chareidim are pleased with the outcome of the election and while they did get along with former leader Shelly Yacimovich, Herzog is viewed as being more pragmatic and experienced, and more likely to work a deal to enter the coalition at a future date if opportunity presents itself.
The most likely scenario is Bayit Yehudi breaking away due to announced significant progress in talks between Israel and the PA (Palestinian Authority). This would compel the prime minister to turn to his opposition parties to weigh entering the coalition to avoid going to elections. It appears unlikely that Bayit Yehudi would break from the coalition over religious issues since the party has been backing bills seeking to liberalize religious matters.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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3 Responses
In the past Herzog (unlike his grandfather the chief rabbi) was in favor on conscripting yeshiva students. To be able to work with hareidim, he’ll have to come up with alternatives (end conscription, target funding on yeshiva students who are also veterans while allowing those who refuse to serve in the army to do so in peace, etc.). If he can the secular left to renounce “hareidi-bashing”, that would be a major change.
And since the Charedim do ***INCLUDE Betair, Kiryat Sefer, Nvei Yakov and Ramat Shlomo as “Settler Communities” they are willing to trade it all for a few more shekels.
***Except the ARABS will remind them what, where and who is on “Occupied Land”.
#2. THe only ones occupying land illegally is the Arabs. The Chareidi groups have shown that they are willing to sell out our G-d given land for more funding.