Rabbi Yaakov Yosef, the eldest son of Shas spiritual leader Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, said Wednesday that the party should quit the government immediately or bear responsibility for putting Israel in grave danger. According to Yosef, Shas can no longer use the excuse that negotiations over the surrender of parts of Jerusalem are far from fruition.

Yosef said that Shas is betraying the decision of the Council of Torah Sages and putting the entire Jewish people in danger by remaining in the government.  He added that Shas would garner a lot of popular support from strong pro-Israel voters if it left.

Shas sources have stated that Yaakov Yosef has disagreed with his father politically in the past, and that the son's views do not reflect the positions of Shas or of its spiritual leader, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef.  Shas sources stated Tuesday, however, that Shas MK Eli Yishai has been surprised to hear from the press of frequent meetings between Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and PA Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia, despite the fact that Yishai was promised to be kept up to date on talks between Israel and the PA. Shas has said it will leave Olmert's coalition if Jerusalem comes up for negotiations.