The Likud has agreed to a critical UTJ demand, namely, that its educational system can retain its independence while continuing to be partly funded by the government. Many MKs both in and out of the Likud have strongly criticized this concession. The Likud still demands, however, that the hareidi party support the "disengagement" plan – which the Council of Torah Sages, which has the final word on whether the party joins the coalition, is very hesitant to do.
Like the vast majority of the religious sectors in Israel, Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv is opposed in principle to the plan to unilaterally withdraw from 25 Jewish communities in Gaza and northern Samaria (Shomron), because of the implications to Israel's security. The plan also calls for the expulsion of the 8,500 Jews from their homes, the abandonment of the land to Arabs at war with Israel, and the entry of Arab forces into vast tracts of land in southwestern and central Israel.
The withdrawal from the Shomron, for instance, would leave several hundred square kilometers, including terror-capitals Jenin and Shechem, in Arab hands. The cities of Netanya, Kfar Saba, Hadera and Afula would be, as they were until the Six Day War in 1967, within 5-10 kilometers of enemy-held territory.
At present, four of the five UTJ MKs are against joining the government, but even they are not united. They do agree, however, that they themselves will not make the final decision, which will rather be left in the hands of the leading rabbis. The most senior of the sages is Rabbi Shalom Yosef Elyashiv. "Rabbi Elyashiv has not yet made a final decision," MK Avraham Ravitz said. "We are soldiers, and follow orders; the most I can do is resign." Asked if he thinks he will have to consider resigning in the coming days, Ravitz declined to answer.
Rabbi Elyashiv has received calls from rabbis and others all over the country who fear for the future of Gush Katif and northern Shomron, asking him not to join the government. MK Yisrael Eichler, considered the left-wing marker of the party, said, "Sharon always said he could buy the hareidim whenever he wanted to. We must not prove him right... Within a few weeks, the child allowance payments are to be decreased yet again; are we going to be a party to this?"
The Likud, for its part, is losing patience. "We gave them everything," said a Likud party official, ignoring the demand for improved social benefits for large or underprivileged families. "Now what they have to do is give an answer. This is the fateful week. There will either be a positive answer from the hareidim for a coalition, or there will be elections."
The Likud Central Committee gave Sharon the go-ahead to include the Labor Party in the coalition last month on condition that a religious party would also join. This alone might not have stopped Sharon, but the fact is that the Likud and Labor together have only 59 MKs, two short of a majority in the 120-seat Knesset.
One likely scenario is that some of the five-MK UTJ Knesset faction will agree to join the coalition – enough for a majority, but possibly too slim for Likud comfort.
Like the vast majority of the religious sectors in Israel, Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv is opposed in principle to the plan to unilaterally withdraw from 25 Jewish communities in Gaza and northern Samaria (Shomron), because of the implications to Israel's security. The plan also calls for the expulsion of the 8,500 Jews from their homes, the abandonment of the land to Arabs at war with Israel, and the entry of Arab forces into vast tracts of land in southwestern and central Israel.
The withdrawal from the Shomron, for instance, would leave several hundred square kilometers, including terror-capitals Jenin and Shechem, in Arab hands. The cities of Netanya, Kfar Saba, Hadera and Afula would be, as they were until the Six Day War in 1967, within 5-10 kilometers of enemy-held territory.
At present, four of the five UTJ MKs are against joining the government, but even they are not united. They do agree, however, that they themselves will not make the final decision, which will rather be left in the hands of the leading rabbis. The most senior of the sages is Rabbi Shalom Yosef Elyashiv. "Rabbi Elyashiv has not yet made a final decision," MK Avraham Ravitz said. "We are soldiers, and follow orders; the most I can do is resign." Asked if he thinks he will have to consider resigning in the coming days, Ravitz declined to answer.
Rabbi Elyashiv has received calls from rabbis and others all over the country who fear for the future of Gush Katif and northern Shomron, asking him not to join the government. MK Yisrael Eichler, considered the left-wing marker of the party, said, "Sharon always said he could buy the hareidim whenever he wanted to. We must not prove him right... Within a few weeks, the child allowance payments are to be decreased yet again; are we going to be a party to this?"
The Likud, for its part, is losing patience. "We gave them everything," said a Likud party official, ignoring the demand for improved social benefits for large or underprivileged families. "Now what they have to do is give an answer. This is the fateful week. There will either be a positive answer from the hareidim for a coalition, or there will be elections."
The Likud Central Committee gave Sharon the go-ahead to include the Labor Party in the coalition last month on condition that a religious party would also join. This alone might not have stopped Sharon, but the fact is that the Likud and Labor together have only 59 MKs, two short of a majority in the 120-seat Knesset.
One likely scenario is that some of the five-MK UTJ Knesset faction will agree to join the coalition – enough for a majority, but possibly too slim for Likud comfort.