Yahadut Hatorah is demanding from the Likud a deputy minister in the Ministry of Labor & Welfare in the next government in order to prevent the Chilul Shabbos, News12 reported on Wednesday night. The same deputy minister, if appointed, will be assigned only one subject: to approve on an individual basis any work that should be done on Shabbos.

However, at a time when Yahadut HaTorah is setting new conditions, it is not certain that it has the power to increase the pressure on the Likud: Moments before the time for appeal approached, Amit Halevi, number 36 in the ruling party that failed to enter the Knesset because of one mandate, came to court. That mandate was given to Yahadut Hatorah, which earned its eighth seat. He came to court with fairly solid evidence to back up his claims and if his petition is accepted, the Likud will grow to 36 and will enter the Knesset and Yahadut Hatorah will drop to seven seats. Yitzchak Pindrus will lose his slot as a MK.

Only two weeks ago, the chareidim published their conditions for entering the next government, and the fundamental demands of Yahadut Hatorah deal first and foremost with the draft law. The chareidim want things to go as they are demanding without giving in to Lieberman’s demands. Also, on the list of conditions: public Shabbos observance against the background of the work carried out on Shabbos; Housing for the chareidi public and funding yeshiva students on the basis of the state budget.

In addition, Litzman, wishes to continue serving as deputy health minister. In response to the harsh criticism of the state of the health system, he decided this time to include his demands on the subject: an annual update on the health budget, easing emergency rooms, increasing the health basket from NIS 500 million to NIS 700 million and the presentation of an emergency plan to improve the situation in the internal wards and the addition of beds in emergency rooms.

In addition, Litzman will promote a law that automatically updates the health budget each year according to needs. The idea is that according to the Health Budget Law, the sum will be automatically updated according to the size of the population. The hope is that Israel will catch up with the world’s indices, and that he will not have to beg for budgetary supplements. The total cost of the requirements is NIS 5 billion.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)