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01-13-2005, 11:59 AM
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Jan. 13, 2005 1:34 | Updated Jan. 13, 2005 16:25
'Shas won't support pullout'
By GIL HOFFMAN AND JPOST STAFF
After barely surviving yet another difficult day at the Knesset, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon desperately wants Shas in his coalition and he is willing to pay a heavy price, but not the price of foregoing his disengagement plan.
The 2005 state budget passed its first reading in the Knesset on Wednesday after the so-called Likud rebels decided to vote in favor. Sharon, who is tired of relying on the rebellious MKs in his party, met with Shas chairman Eli Yishai at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem on Thursday afternoon, in an effort to bring Shas's 11 MKs into the coalition and render the 13 rebels irrelevant.
However, negating his earlier suggestion that he would make concessions for his party to join the government, Yishai declared coming out of the meeting that Shas would by no means support the disengagement plan, Army Radio reported.
"The decree of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef on the question has not changed and will not change," said Yishai.
Yishai also stated that, should Shas join the government, it expects to receive four portfolios and to be granted a minimum of NIS 1 billion.
A senior Sharon associate has said that Sharon is willing to "compromise and let Shas MKs vote against disengagement, but not ministers or deputy ministers." They must vote in favor, the associate explained.
"After all he has been through, Sharon has softened his positions and he is considering all of Shas's conditions," the senior Sharon associate said.
But if Shas insists on all its members voting against disengagement, Sharon will reconsider inviting them to join the coalition.
Earlier, Yishai had told Israel Radio that he wanted assurance that the unilateral disengagement plan will become bilateral and that if it doesn't, Shas be granted freedom from coalition discipline to vote against the plan.
He also said that he would be willing to consider entering the coalition without receiving any ministerial portfolios.
"Negotiations are going well, we are progressing. I am ready to concede portfolios and the money can go to the poor," Yishai told Israel Radio.
In the radio interview he declared his intention to ask Sharon for hundreds of millions of shekels for social causes, child welfare payments and religious services.
Yishai reiterated his main demand, saying, "I represent the elderly, children, sick, young couples, not just of Shas, but of Shinui, Labor, Likud, NRP, everyone. I have not requested one shekel for Shas and its institutions."
When asked whether he will be entering the coalition, Yishai responded, "It is not clear and it is not definite."
Meanwhle, Labor has insisted in coalition talks that parties that join the coalition support disengagement. However, Sharon's associates said they expect Labor to agree to the move because allowing Shas to join could remove the final political roadblock preventing the plan from being implemented.
For the rest of the story, see link: http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1105504413101
Jan. 13, 2005 1:34 | Updated Jan. 13, 2005 16:25
'Shas won't support pullout'
By GIL HOFFMAN AND JPOST STAFF
After barely surviving yet another difficult day at the Knesset, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon desperately wants Shas in his coalition and he is willing to pay a heavy price, but not the price of foregoing his disengagement plan.
The 2005 state budget passed its first reading in the Knesset on Wednesday after the so-called Likud rebels decided to vote in favor. Sharon, who is tired of relying on the rebellious MKs in his party, met with Shas chairman Eli Yishai at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem on Thursday afternoon, in an effort to bring Shas's 11 MKs into the coalition and render the 13 rebels irrelevant.
However, negating his earlier suggestion that he would make concessions for his party to join the government, Yishai declared coming out of the meeting that Shas would by no means support the disengagement plan, Army Radio reported.
"The decree of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef on the question has not changed and will not change," said Yishai.
Yishai also stated that, should Shas join the government, it expects to receive four portfolios and to be granted a minimum of NIS 1 billion.
A senior Sharon associate has said that Sharon is willing to "compromise and let Shas MKs vote against disengagement, but not ministers or deputy ministers." They must vote in favor, the associate explained.
"After all he has been through, Sharon has softened his positions and he is considering all of Shas's conditions," the senior Sharon associate said.
But if Shas insists on all its members voting against disengagement, Sharon will reconsider inviting them to join the coalition.
Earlier, Yishai had told Israel Radio that he wanted assurance that the unilateral disengagement plan will become bilateral and that if it doesn't, Shas be granted freedom from coalition discipline to vote against the plan.
He also said that he would be willing to consider entering the coalition without receiving any ministerial portfolios.
"Negotiations are going well, we are progressing. I am ready to concede portfolios and the money can go to the poor," Yishai told Israel Radio.
In the radio interview he declared his intention to ask Sharon for hundreds of millions of shekels for social causes, child welfare payments and religious services.
Yishai reiterated his main demand, saying, "I represent the elderly, children, sick, young couples, not just of Shas, but of Shinui, Labor, Likud, NRP, everyone. I have not requested one shekel for Shas and its institutions."
When asked whether he will be entering the coalition, Yishai responded, "It is not clear and it is not definite."
Meanwhle, Labor has insisted in coalition talks that parties that join the coalition support disengagement. However, Sharon's associates said they expect Labor to agree to the move because allowing Shas to join could remove the final political roadblock preventing the plan from being implemented.
For the rest of the story, see link: http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1105504413101