Arutz-7 Political Analysis
The Kadima strategy seems to be working. At least one of the two hareidi-religious parties has caved in, forgoing its original demands to relieve the economic burden to low-income families with many children and breaking its campaign promise to stand firm.
On Monday, the Shas Party backed off from its demand that the government undo cuts made to child allowances to return them to their 2002 levels.
The party instead settled for a Kadima promise to cancel another cut that is planned to go into effect in 2009, three years from now.
There are other issues that are not as easily resolved, however. Shas has been demanding four ministerial portfolios, whereas Kadima is offering just three ministries plus either a deputy minister position or minister-without-portfolio slot.
On this issue, Shas has stuck to its guns after the party’s spiritual leader, former Chief Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, instructed party leaders late Sunday night to continue to demand parity with Labor’s portfolio haul.
Shas Chairman Eli Yishai is also standing firm on his demand for the Interior Ministry as part of the deal, but senior party members are concerned that his methods will lead to losing the deal.
Meanwhile, United Torah Judaism is going its own way in the coalition negotiations, focusing its efforts primarily on the issue of yeshiva education.
UTJ, the Ashkenazi hareidi-religious party, wants legal protection for the hareidi educational system, which includes the Shas-associated Ma’ayan schools as well as the independent religious school network.
UTJ is also demanding legal protection for religious services, and a government-mandated committee to create some order in the entire hareidi education system.
Shas has been trying to form a united front with UTJ in its efforts to gain the Interior Ministry, but thus far UTJ appears to be more interested in pursuing its own agenda rather than casting its lot in with Shas.
Talks between Kadima and the two parties are proceeding in separate venues.
The Kadima strategy seems to be working. At least one of the two hareidi-religious parties has caved in, forgoing its original demands to relieve the economic burden to low-income families with many children and breaking its campaign promise to stand firm.
On Monday, the Shas Party backed off from its demand that the government undo cuts made to child allowances to return them to their 2002 levels.
The party instead settled for a Kadima promise to cancel another cut that is planned to go into effect in 2009, three years from now.
There are other issues that are not as easily resolved, however. Shas has been demanding four ministerial portfolios, whereas Kadima is offering just three ministries plus either a deputy minister position or minister-without-portfolio slot.
On this issue, Shas has stuck to its guns after the party’s spiritual leader, former Chief Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, instructed party leaders late Sunday night to continue to demand parity with Labor’s portfolio haul.
Shas Chairman Eli Yishai is also standing firm on his demand for the Interior Ministry as part of the deal, but senior party members are concerned that his methods will lead to losing the deal.
Meanwhile, United Torah Judaism is going its own way in the coalition negotiations, focusing its efforts primarily on the issue of yeshiva education.
UTJ, the Ashkenazi hareidi-religious party, wants legal protection for the hareidi educational system, which includes the Shas-associated Ma’ayan schools as well as the independent religious school network.
UTJ is also demanding legal protection for religious services, and a government-mandated committee to create some order in the entire hareidi education system.
Shas has been trying to form a united front with UTJ in its efforts to gain the Interior Ministry, but thus far UTJ appears to be more interested in pursuing its own agenda rather than casting its lot in with Shas.
Talks between Kadima and the two parties are proceeding in separate venues.