Representatives of Labor, United Torah Judaism (UTJ) and Likud signed the agreement, and the new ministers are scheduled to be sworn in on Monday.
MK Gideon Saar, coalition whip on behalf of the Likud and an opponent of Sharon's disengagement/withdrawal plan, appeared less than happy to sign the agreement. "More than just this table separates between us and Labor," he said during the ceremony. "Many of the hopes and dreams that [Labor] MK Itzik just mentioned are not at all the hopes of many in the Likud."
The hareidi UTJ party is also entering the coalition with mixed emotions. It is no secret that at least three of the party's five MKs – Meir Porush, Avraham Ravitz, and Moshe Gafni – are opposed to the disengagement, which the government is set to carry out.
However, they have said all along that they will follow the instructions of the Council of Torah Sages, which decided on Wednesday that the party should enter the coalition – conditionally. If within three months, it becomes clear that Prime Minister Sharon is not fulfilling his promises to improve the provision of religious services and to exempt the hareidi school system from the proposed educational reforms, the party will quit the government.
MK Avraham Ravitz also extracted a last-minute promise from the Likud that legislation affecting Basic Laws would not be initiated without UTJ's prior agreement.
MK Moshe Gafni, speaking with Arutz-7 after the decision was made to join the government, would not commit himself as to how he and his colleagues would vote when the disengagement comes up for a vote in the Knesset.
MK Gideon Saar, coalition whip on behalf of the Likud and an opponent of Sharon's disengagement/withdrawal plan, appeared less than happy to sign the agreement. "More than just this table separates between us and Labor," he said during the ceremony. "Many of the hopes and dreams that [Labor] MK Itzik just mentioned are not at all the hopes of many in the Likud."
The hareidi UTJ party is also entering the coalition with mixed emotions. It is no secret that at least three of the party's five MKs – Meir Porush, Avraham Ravitz, and Moshe Gafni – are opposed to the disengagement, which the government is set to carry out.
However, they have said all along that they will follow the instructions of the Council of Torah Sages, which decided on Wednesday that the party should enter the coalition – conditionally. If within three months, it becomes clear that Prime Minister Sharon is not fulfilling his promises to improve the provision of religious services and to exempt the hareidi school system from the proposed educational reforms, the party will quit the government.
MK Avraham Ravitz also extracted a last-minute promise from the Likud that legislation affecting Basic Laws would not be initiated without UTJ's prior agreement.
MK Moshe Gafni, speaking with Arutz-7 after the decision was made to join the government, would not commit himself as to how he and his colleagues would vote when the disengagement comes up for a vote in the Knesset.