Ahead of the consultations at the Presidential Residence, the United Torah Judaism (UTJ) Party has agreed to a short coalition agreement in order to form a government as soon as possible, Kan 11 News reported on Tuesday.
The Likud had demanded an agreement that refers only to the increase in the haredi education budget, housing solutions and the Override Clause. UTJ had rejected the proposal and decided to go for a coalition agreement with headings that include the "core issues", as they put it.
The agreement is expected to include a reference to adding the yeshiva budget into the base of the state budget, an increase in the haredi education budget, a consensual Draft Law, housing solutions, cancellation of the kashrut reform, amendment of the conversion law, cancellation of the cell phone reform and maintenance of the status quo.
This agreement comes after the haredi party had opposed any agreement that does not include the Override Clause. Sources in the party even came out against Shas chairman, Aryeh Deri, who supported Netanyahu's position for a full coalition agreement and an Override Clause only after the formation of the government. "It appears that Deri works for Netanyahu or a member of the Knesset in Likud," the sources said.
Likud chairman Benjamin Netanyahu will meet on Wednesday for the first time with the heads of UTJ, Moshe Gafni and Yitzhak Goldknopf, as part of the coalition negotiations.
A top haredi official said, "We want to oust the malicious government from power as quickly as possible, so we agreed on a shortened coalition agreement."