Only with support from the far Left and abstentions from Arab
MKs was Prime Minister Ariel Sharon able to establish a new
governing coalition on Monday. The Knesset voted 58-56 to
approve the appointment to the cabinet of eight new ministers
from the Labor Party and another minister from the Likud.
The 64-member coalition now includes Labor and United Torah
Judaism. However 13 members of the Likud actually voted
against the government, so that it was only support from five
Yachad Party MKs and the abstention of two United Arab List
MKs that enabled Sharon to win the vote.
The 13 Likud MKs who oppose disengagement wanted to prevent
the establishment of the new government, even at the risk of
toppling it.
Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin, an opponent of disengagement,
abstained in the vote, whereas coalition chairman Gideon
Sa'ar, who also opposes disengagement, voted in favor. Yachad
MK Yossi Sarid abstained after it became clear that Sharon
would have a majority without him.
Shinui MK Yossi Paritzky, who has been ostracized from his
party, cast his vote in favor of the government. National
Union MK Michael Nudelman also supported the government,
whereas Am Echad MK David Tal abstained.
Voting against were Shinui (14), Shas (11), the National
Union (6), the National Religious Party (6), Balad (3) and
Hadash (3), and 13 from Likud.
Abstaining were UAL (2), one from Yachad, one from Likud, one
from Am Echad, and one from UTJ. Rabbi Meir Porush surprised
everyone when he abstained.
Degel HaTorah representatives MK Rabbi Avrohom Ravitz and MK
Rabbi Moshe Gafni only committed to a trial period of three
months during which they will not accept any posts in the
Knesset. At the end of this period the coalition agreement
will be reevaluated to see if it was kept.
Rabbi Litzman will immediately assume the chairmanship of the
Knesset Finance Committee. Rabbi Porush was slated to become
a deputy minister, but that may be postponed or cancelled
since he abstained on the confidence vote.
The question of whether United Torah Jewry should join the
coalition was brought before Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah based on
a decision by Maran HaRav Eliashiv shlita who said if
UTJ does join, the two Degel HaTorah representatives should
not accept any portfolios or committee appointments until the
government carries out its obligations.
Before the decision was finalized, Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah
Secretary Rabbi Avrohom Rubinstein visited the homes of the
Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah members and then informed Maran HaRav
Eliashiv of their decision to instruct the Degel HaTorah MKs
to sign the coalition agreement following a few changes.
The agreement worked out between UTJ and representatives from
the Prime Minister's Office included numerous pledges
starting with a commitment by the government to preserve the
status quo on religious issues and, if religious interests
are harmed, to find a way to rectify the problem. The
agreement also calls for applying coalition discipline to
counter private legislative proposals that harm the status
quo.
According to another paragraph, if graves or human bones are
uncovered during archaeological excavations at any site in
the country a solution will be found to prevent harming the
gravesites. If necessary a ministerial committee will even be
set up to assess legal aspects and to see whether it is
possible to alter or improve the current legal
arrangement.
As part of the agreement, the government pledges to enforce
existing legislation regarding religious issues and protect
the lifestyles of the chareidi and national-religious sectors
in areas where they constitute a majority of the local
population. Another paragraph determines an employee may not
be discriminated against because he keeps Shabbos and that
the government will honor Shabbos and Jewish holidays. There
will be a prohibition against opening malls on Shabbos.
The most important parts of the agreement from the
perspective of the rabbonim addressed the issue of chareidi
education and religious services in the State of Israel.
Likud and UTJ representatives spent days drafting these
paragraphs to preclude the possibility of interpreting them
in a manner that allows the government to renege on its
obligations in these areas.
According to the agreement, the chareidi education system
will retain its organizational and pedagogical autonomy, its
unique status and its funding. A joint team whose appointed
members must be approved must work to implement these
objectives, completing the task within three months.
Another paragraph discusses implementing the government's
decision to set up an independent body that would handle
Torah institutions of high school students—their
funding, oversight and the associated criteria; the
possibility of including other ages as part of the Torah
institutions will also be assessed.
Another important paragraph addresses state religious
services. The agreement grants 75 days to reach a decision on
the direction religious services in the State of Israel will
take, including legislation as needed, government decisions,
and the required funding. In addition the government has 14
days to formulate an interim arrangement for managing
religious services, appointments, budgeting and constructing
religious facilities, including a government decision if
necessary.
No law or fundamental laws may be submitted without the
consent of UTJ and the election law may not be changed,
including raising the minimal cutoff point.
The remainder of the coalition agreement deals with the
agreement already signed between party representatives and
the government before the vote on the state budget. This
agreement restores a portion of the cuts imposed on the
chareidi sector over the past two years and stipulates that
no cuts may be placed on the chareidi sector alone. The
funding to be restored includes NIS 140 million for yeshivas
and kollelim, NIS 150 million for kindergartens,
transportation for students, seminaries, insurance for
students, Jewish culture and talmudei Torah;
furthermore the 15 percent budget cut that only applied to
chareidi kindergartens will be officially cancelled.
It is hoped that the Prime Minister upholds the promises made
in the coalition agreement.
