Likud/Beitenu continues coalition talks with his Yesh Atid and Bayit HaYehudi as it appears they will be the major coalition partners. The daily Yisrael Hayom reports that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on erev Shabbos 19 Adar 5773 held a secret meeting with Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid, the daily Yisrael Hayom reports.
With the resumption of talks on Monday 22 Adar, Yair Lapid told the press “The coalition negotiations are far from over. There are still unresolved matters and one must remember that Israeli politics is full of surprises. Chareidi citizens will still see that Yesh Atid will look out for them.”
Bayit HaYehudi leader Naftali Bennett was a bit more optimistic, explaining “Even in the politics we move from winter to spring. This stems from much good will and a genuine willingness to form a government. I hope we do not get a rash on the way.”
Bennett met on Monday night with senior officials in the dati leumi camp, who gave him their total support.
In a coalition related matter, the Yesha Settlement Council released a statement on Monday that the chareidim must be included in the coalition towards enlisting their support regarding the future of the yishuvim throughout Yehuda and Shomron.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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On economic matters, the three are all very similar. Whereas the two hareidi parties tend to favor a European-style welfare state, Bayit Yehudi supporters tend to favor more American style pro-business policies. On foreign affairs, Lapid is very similar to Likud.
Their challenge is how to deal with conscription in a way that will alienate the haredim so badly that in the future the hareidim will become natural partners of a revived Labor (or other “left”) party. Remember that in terms of economics, the hareidi are quite “left” to begin with, and that many on the left (which includes many Arabs) are also against conscription. The new rightwing coalition of Likud, Dati Leumi, and the secular right has to worry if they are facing a “new left” that includes the two haredi parties since not only will that seriously alter the balance of power, but having the hareidim on board might make it possible for the non-zionist Arabs to support the left in a coalition (which has never happened in the past).
This means the new coalition has to find a way to “share the burden” without permanently alienating the hareidim. One sure way to alienate the hareidim is by throwing yeshiva students in jail, reducing welfare benefits to refusers (to a level lower than Palestinian Arabs receive), or trying to seize money raised abroad by yeshiovos. However the alternative would be to rely on incentives to enlist, and more or less end conscription (if only by allowing people to refuse to serve in the army for religious reasons). Ironically, if “share the burden” ends up in many hareidim refusing to serve by being religious objectors (who can then take jobs) rather than “professional students” (who aren’t allowed to work “on the books”), it will greatly benefit the hareidim and the Israeli economy.
“Yesha Settlement Council released a statement on Monday that the chareidim must be included in the coalition”
Thanx but no thanx! You made the bed (by linking up with Lapid) now sleep in it! We Chareidim will stay on the sidelines and watch how you self distruct! We will watch how your lover, Lapid (& Livni, through the coalition), will give away the land that you claim to defend! Don’t come cying to us afterwards. You are trying to destroy Limud/Ameylus Hatorah, we will have nothing to do with you! You “share the burden” people have no concept of “Ke haim chayanu”! You look at Torah as just another subject R”L! You will fail & the Medina will fail! This is all brought down in Seforim regarding acharis hayamim. May HKB”H in his rove rachamov, protect us all.
to joe Yeshivhish: your comments are ludicrous. You show your bias when you write “the median wil fail”. have you even considerate what this would mean for six million jews? and for all the yeshivas?
“Chareidi citizens will still see that Yesh Atid will look out for them.”
Wow, that makes me feel real safe. I think I’d rather trust the UN to be in charge of Israel than trust Lapid with the Chareidi Yeshivos.
“the Yesha Settlement Council released a statement on Monday that the chareidim must be included in the coalition towards enlisting their support regarding the future of the yishuvim throughout Yehuda and Shomron.”
Unfortunately, Bennet has decided to ally himself with the anti-settler (and anti-Chareidi) Lapid instead of the pro-settler Charedim.