Election looms for Israel as coalition fractures
An ultra-Orthodox Israeli party announced today it will not join a new coalition government being formed by prime minister-designate Tzipi Livni, making national elections more likely.
Eli Yishai head of the Shas Party said Ms Livni did not agree to his party’s demands for the allocation of more funds to poor Israelis and for a commitment that parts of Jerusalem will not be ceded to the Palestinians.
A Shas statement said the rabbis who control the party, known as the Council of Torah Sages, decided that Shas “will not be able to join the government under these conditions.”
Elections would throw Israel’s political system into disarray and probably freeze the peace talks Israel is holding.
