Rabbi Yosef has said that he will wait to hear the opinions of leading Ashkenazi rabbis in the hareidi-religious community before rendering a final opinion on the matter.
At issue is a plebiscite on the government’s plan to expel Jews from their homes in Gaza and Northern Samaria. Prime Minister Sharon is adamantly against such a vote, but the majority of his Likud Party and Knesset faction favors one. If Shas supports it as well, the referendum will have a majority in the Knesset.
The Sephardic rabbi’s willingness to hear other opinions on the issue may stem from a desire not to close off an opportunity to topple the Sharon government. Many of Sharon’s left-wing coalition partners have stated that they will withdraw immediately from the coalition if referendum legislation is enacted into law.
Shas chairman MK Eli Yishai said this morning that Rabbi Yosef would like to formulate a Halakhic [Jewish Legal] ruling with Rabbi Elyashiv, as well as with leading Hassidic rabbis.
Shas MK Nissim Ze'ev has indicated that absent a decision by Rabbi Yosef, he will cast his ballot in the Constitutional Law Committee in favor of a plebiscite when the legislation comes up for a vote next Monday.
MK Avraham Ravitz of the Degel HaTorah party has similarly indicated that Rabbi Elyashiv’s approach on the referendum issue will probably allow him to vote in favor of the bill in the committee.
It appears that if Ravitz and Ze'ev vote in favor, the measure will be approved and passed to the Knesset. Law Committee Chairman Michael Eitan (Likud), who is strongly in favor of both a referendum and the disengagement, met with MK Yishai on this issue.
Eitan said today that if the bill is passed in the committee and the Knesset, it will require a change in the Evacuation/Compensation Law. Though he previously said that holding a referendum would not delay the disengagement even one day – assuming the evacuation is not turned down – Eitan has now come to realize that a delay of at least 2-3 weeks is necessary.
A new survey carried out by pollster Mina Tzemach of the Dahaf Institute has found that 58% of those who voted for the Likud in the last election are in favor of a referendum, and do not feel that the Knesset decision on the disengagement is sufficient. The poll was commissioned by the Yesha Council.
At issue is a plebiscite on the government’s plan to expel Jews from their homes in Gaza and Northern Samaria. Prime Minister Sharon is adamantly against such a vote, but the majority of his Likud Party and Knesset faction favors one. If Shas supports it as well, the referendum will have a majority in the Knesset.
The Sephardic rabbi’s willingness to hear other opinions on the issue may stem from a desire not to close off an opportunity to topple the Sharon government. Many of Sharon’s left-wing coalition partners have stated that they will withdraw immediately from the coalition if referendum legislation is enacted into law.
Shas chairman MK Eli Yishai said this morning that Rabbi Yosef would like to formulate a Halakhic [Jewish Legal] ruling with Rabbi Elyashiv, as well as with leading Hassidic rabbis.
Shas MK Nissim Ze'ev has indicated that absent a decision by Rabbi Yosef, he will cast his ballot in the Constitutional Law Committee in favor of a plebiscite when the legislation comes up for a vote next Monday.
MK Avraham Ravitz of the Degel HaTorah party has similarly indicated that Rabbi Elyashiv’s approach on the referendum issue will probably allow him to vote in favor of the bill in the committee.
It appears that if Ravitz and Ze'ev vote in favor, the measure will be approved and passed to the Knesset. Law Committee Chairman Michael Eitan (Likud), who is strongly in favor of both a referendum and the disengagement, met with MK Yishai on this issue.
Eitan said today that if the bill is passed in the committee and the Knesset, it will require a change in the Evacuation/Compensation Law. Though he previously said that holding a referendum would not delay the disengagement even one day – assuming the evacuation is not turned down – Eitan has now come to realize that a delay of at least 2-3 weeks is necessary.
A new survey carried out by pollster Mina Tzemach of the Dahaf Institute has found that 58% of those who voted for the Likud in the last election are in favor of a referendum, and do not feel that the Knesset decision on the disengagement is sufficient. The poll was commissioned by the Yesha Council.