A meeting that was planned to take place on Wednesday night in the northern Tel Aviv sukka of Premier-designate Tzipi Livni and Shas leader Eli Yishai was canceled at the last moment.

According to a report, Yishai was already in the area of Livni’s home on Wednesday night when he received a phone call which compelled him to postpone the meeting due to an urgent family matter. Shas officials are indicating another meeting will be arranged as soon as possible as Livni and Shas continue probing to determine if a coalition agreement is indeed possible.

Labor has signed a deal to become a senior coalition partner but Shas continues signaling it is far from such a reality. Sources close to Shas leaders report however that despite the external hard-line position being exhibited by Shas, there are behind the scene contacts going on between officials.

Yediot Achronot reported earlier in the week that Livni is willing to allocate NIS 500 million to increase monthly child allowance payments but Shas wants more.

On Wednesday, a meeting did take place with representatives of United Torah Judaism. Following the meeting, MK Rabbi Avraham Ravitz stated that much progress has been made but an agreement was not reached. Ravitz did add “we are on the way to the coalition.”

With only a few days remaining until her mandate to form a coalition expires, Livni may entertain presenting a government without Shas, but for this to happen, she will need UTJ and the left-wing Meretz Party.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)