The rabbis of United Torah Judaism have come out with a call to vote for Ariel Sharon - though they don\'t mention him by name. In return, the Likud candidate promised to extend the status quo - according to which yeshiva students receive yearly military exemptions - for an additional eight months. The present arrangement is due to expire at the end of April. Likud MK Ruby Rivlin said that nothing had been signed, but that Sharon had given his oral agreement to extend the law. Rivlin explained that the extension is necessary because Sharon will be busy after the election with coalition negotiations and work on the national budget, and there will not be enough time to deal with the yeshiva-draft issue. If the budget is not passed by March 31, new elections must be held.
Sharon plans not to speak on the media until the end of the election campaign this Tuesday; he even canceled a previously scheduled interview with Arutz-7. Prime Minister Barak, on the other hand, granted an exclusive interview to Abu Dhabi Television over the weekend, and called upon Israeli-Arabs to vote for him.
Sharon plans not to speak on the media until the end of the election campaign this Tuesday; he even canceled a previously scheduled interview with Arutz-7. Prime Minister Barak, on the other hand, granted an exclusive interview to Abu Dhabi Television over the weekend, and called upon Israeli-Arabs to vote for him.