Jewish Home to protect YESHA 'natural growth'
Jewish Home to protect YESHA 'natural growth'Israel News Photo: (file)

As part of its role in any future government, the Jewish Home party says it is committed to promoting Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria. Party representatives met with the heads of the Judea, Samaria and Gaza (Yesha) Council on Monday to discuss the issue.

At the meeting, leaders of the Jewish Home party and the council agreed upon some of the demands the national-religious party will make in coalition talks with Prime Minister-designate Binyamin Netanyahu. Among them will be protecting natural growth and development in Jewish towns and cities in Judea and Samaria, which is threatened by both international and internal political pressure. The Jewish Home and Yesha Council reached a detailed agreement on the matter, which is meant to guide the party in its negotiations with the Likud party.

Jewish Home chairman Rabbi Prof. Daniel Hershkowitz said during the meeting, "We see ourselves as committed to the settlement enterprise in Judea and Samaria and as its loyal representatives in the Netanyahu government." Before the elections, the Jewish Home party campaigned on a clear message of support for Netanyahu and a commitment to join his government.

Representing the Yesha Council were chairman Danny Dayan, vice-chair Sarah Elias, council director Pinchas Wallerstein and other top Council heads.

Education Also at the Top of the Agenda

In coming days, Jewish Home representatives are slated to meet with the heads of the national teachers' organizations and educational system directors. After those meetings, the party will define its coalition demands related to general and Jewish education in the nation's schools.

During its campaign, the Jewish Home party emphasized its commitment to improving education in Israel, including promotion of more Jewish content in the schools. Among other items currently on the party's agenda is a demand to cancel all public school fees, to dedicate more resources to Judaic studies in the state public schools, and more.

In other areas, the Jewish Home also has a three-year plan it would like to see adopted by the government to fight poverty, and a political demand to head the ministerial committee for the rehabilitation of Gush Katif evictees.