Olmert wooing haredi parties
Prime minister meets with MKs Ravitz and Gafni, who present their preconditions for negotiations. Degel Hatorah's support may save Olmert's government if Labor Party decides to leave coalition
If and when the Labor faction decided to leave the coalition, the government will be comprised of only 59 members. The support of the two MKs will guarantee a majority of 61 members in the Knesset.
Over the past few weeks the sides have been holding talks on entering negotiations. Olmert was represented by his personal assistant Ovad Yehezkel and Cabinet Secretary Yisrael Maimon.
On Tuesday Olmert himself was present at the meeting in order to receive updates on the progress of the talks. It appears that the parties will now begin discussing the possibility of Degel Hatorah supporting the government from the opposition, although the government will first be required to prove that it is implementing the demands raised during the talks.
The Degel Hatorah faction presented a number of preconditions for negotiations, which included the allocation of budgets for the maintenance and renovation of schools belonging to the ultra-Orthodox education system, as well as the budgeting of transportation.
Not looking for jobs
According to MK Ravitz, the demanded budgets are not special budgets, but are included in the Treasury's budget and only have to be implemented. Ravitz and Gafni also plan to demand that the government supports the ultra-Orthodox education law, which has already been okayed by the Knesset in a preliminary reading.
Ravitz noted that the rabbis will be presented with the negotiation results, and they will have the final word on whether the party should support the government. He added that supporting the government from the opposition would not pave Degel Hatorah's way to the government.
"There are no available vacancies and we are not asking Olmert to make up an artificial role of a deputy minister in an inventory counting ministry."
Ravitz added that the Winograd report's findings had no affect on the faction.
"Our goal is not to tell anyone how to launch a war. That is not why we were sent to the Knesset," he explained. "That can be done by the MKs with no commitment to their voters. We don’t have that privilege. We were sent to survive and to be able to guarantee the Jewish existence as we understand it and as it has existed for generations."
MK Ravitz expressed his hope that the Agudat Yisrael faction, also part of the UTJ party, will be able to reach an understanding with Olmert which will guarantee its support for the government.
