With the final results of the elections for 20th Knesset released, faction members of both Yahadut Hatorah and Shas began meeting Thursday, 28 Adar. On Thursday morning Yaakov Litzman met with Shas leader Aryeh Deri. Later in the day Meir Porush met with Moshe Gafne. Clearly they are mapping out their strategy ahead of coalition negotiations with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and his negotiating team.
During the afternoon hours, Litzman and Porush were meeting in a Mosdos Gur building on Rav Shach Seret in Bnei Brak.
The chareidi parties announced during the election campaign that they will unite in coalition talks and one would not enter the coalition without the other.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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8 Responses
There demands are as following:
1. A complete reversal of the previous government’s passed law drafting Chareidim. (This reversal will take place prior to it having been implemented, meaning Lapid/Yesh Atid ended up getting nothing from their participation in the last government with their primary policy being completely reversed – and the Chareidim victorious without even having been subjected to the new draft.)
2. Restoration of funding for Yeshivos.
Netanyahu has no choice but to fundamentally agree with the Chareidi demands, as he has no coalition without the Orthodox parties.
Do they have options?
First, they lost seats compared to last time. And they aren’t critical since Netanyahu can choose Yesh Atid or even Labor, and render the hareidim irrelevant. Plus, considerable animosity towards them exists among Bayit Yehudi and Yisrael Beiteinu.
They should focus on legislation rather than going for patronage (e.g. skip the fancy ministries, concentrate on conscription and leaving schools independent of the government).
They should try to build coalition. For example, instead of asking for hareidim to be exempt from the army, argue for broad based religious and conscientious ojection, or switch to a volunteer/professional army (which does raise a conflict of interest, since many people are staying in yeshiva to avoid the army and will get outside jobs if the government lets them).
3. The Yeshivas do not have to teach any subjects the Chareidim deem unnecessary and/or inappropriate.
akuperma: Natanyahu and Labor’s Herzog have mutually said, both pre and post election, that neither would agree nor wants a unity government. Labor wants to be in the opposition and Netanyahu doesn’t want Labor in his government.
And Yesh Atid is why the last government fell so quickly. Another Yesh Atid coalition would be a replica of the last government, something Netanyahu specifically doesn’t want and would be subject to the same failure as last time.
Deri wants his old jail cell back, using the Ministry that got him in trouble in the first place.
The sad fact is that while the arabs figured out how to gain with achdus, the chareidim did not. Not saying that they will be part of any coalition, btw…
#3- With Yisrael Beiteinu, its a government of 61. Very tight. If someone gets sick on the day of key vote, the government falls. And big chunks of the other secualar “right” also object to non-conscription of hareidim.
#4- Lapid would probably settle for crumbs of patronage if his chief piece of legislation is implemented. And a Likud-Labor coalition would generate more ministries for Likud, than having to deal with many small parties with big demands – at a certain point they will get fed up enough to ally with each other.
I cannot believe it! I am in total shock! I ACTUALLY AGREE WITH APUKERMA!! moshiach zeiten!
UTJ has a very weak hand. Bibi starts with a bloc of 44 (likud , bayit and liberman). Kulanu clearly will be part of the govt. That makes 54. bibi has a choice between shas (believe me, they will sell out UTJ in an instant), Agudah and even Yesh Atid. They will not give agudah most of its demands.
Netanyahu hates Lapid/Yesh Atid. Lapid is why the last government fell early. Lapid in the new government is simply a repeat of the last coalition. That’s the last thing Netanyahu needs. He will far faster give the Chareidim what they want. Ending the draft of Chareidim is something Netanyahu will give in a heartbeat. Throwing them a little more money too.