First publication • unified religious parties

The union which was announced on Thursday evening, by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Chairman of Yisrael Beiteinu put the political system into frenzy, creating a challenge for other parties to try and create a union of their own. Target: Short coalition negotiation and later establishing a stable government, with no dependence on crumb parties.

But whoever thought that the new party, Likud-Yisrael Beiteinu, will constitute a threat to the religious parties – was wrong. Some tried to imagine the next government will be established with one big party, joined by 'Yesh Atid', while setting a citizens agenda and mobilizing all yeshiva students.

But it turns out that Netanyahu and Lieberman plan a different outline. Likud sources can tell that Netanyahu agreed with Lieberman that the election campaign will not include incitement against the ultra-Orthodox. Anyone listening to Lieberman's speeches, both on Thursday and when he held a press conference on Friday afternoon in Kfar Maccabiah, could not help but notice the change in his tone. He did not speak against the ultra-Orthodox public, only validated the activists, and admitted to compromise on recruitment.

"Obviously we will have to compromise," Lieberman said, "not only on religion and state, but also in the recruitment and national service. We clearly think that one cannot separate religion and state in Israel. We are the only nation that has absolute identification between religion and ethnicity. What are needed to separate are the Jewish functionaries. I am against religious functionaries. I am against religious activism and the business they do with dietary and religious councils; I am in favor of Jewish tradition and separating religion from functionaries."

Moreover, in the first stage it was agreed between the vertices of the ultra-Orthodox parties on a joint run for coalition negotiations. "One will not close without the other", it was decided.

We are referring to a benefit for the 'little sister' – Yahadut Hatorah, since Shas will naturally always be larger. However, responsibility requires and Deri understands that his duty is to join forces, for the purpose of the big goals that are set before the vertices of Shas; among others, an attempt to legislate the Tal Law, and an attempt to cut economic decrees for the orthodox public and more.

But during the talks the sides began to - what we call "primary action of contacts", to discuss the joint running of the religious parties. "Such consolidation is an excellent opportunity for Degel HaTorah and the court of Harav Aharon Leib Steinman to get rid of the 'Yerusha lmi' problem and Menachem Carmel, to keep them out of the game," says a source familiar with the new development.

"According to the plan, six candidates of Yahadut Hatorah are placed as the first of 20 on the list, which will be called Shas"G. Deri will become the leader of Orthodox Judaism, where the expectation is that you receive over 20 mandates. It also solves the main faction of the Ger rotation problem since with a joint delegate the chances for a sixth mandate for Yahadut Hatorah are greater.

"The goal is to create a list that anyone religious or who cares about tradition in Israel can vote for it. There will definitely be contact with the 'Tov' party, so that they also feel part of the list."

However, says a Yahadut Hatorah sorce, "what may harm the chances of this move is Aryeh Deri's fear of ultra-orthodoxy, which would prevent him from receiving votes from secular – traditional communities."

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!