Shas chairman Eli Yishai said Friday that the decision by the party's council of sages not to enter a government coalition with the Kadima party. When asked on Voice of Israel government radio whether the decision was final, Yishai said, "yes." He added, "Shas cannot be bought and Shas will not sell out Jerusalem."
Following Thursday night's last negotiating session between the two parties, Shas said progress had been made in a number of areas, but not it's main request for the restoration of hundreds of millions of shekels to the state budget for child support. The party opposes Israel negotiating with the Palestinian Authority over Jerusalem.