Negotiations began • "The Rabbi's will not agree to any recruitment layout"

The second day of coalition talks in Kfar Maccabiah: the negotiating team of the Likud Beitenu met this afternoon with the negotiating team Yahadut Hatorah, which included the Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman, Finance Committee Chairman MK Moshe Gafni, and MK Meir Porush.

The sides discussed issues on the agenda. Yahadut Hatorah representatives expressed their concern over the security situation and the socio - economic and discussed the question of equality of burden.

During the meeting, Yahadut Hatorah clarified its position and stressed the need of strengthening the Torah world on the one hand, and the pursuit of equality for all Israeli citizens including Arab citizens, representatives of Yahadut Hatorah stressed that rabbis will not accept under any circumstances the outline of recruitment or any goals, but made it clear that they want a delay only for yeshiva students. Among other things, stated that according to the Yeshiva board, every year about 5,000 men until the age of 28 stop their studies. They also discussed issues of governance and independence of ultra-Orthodox education.

Yahadut Hatorah emphasized the compliments they received on their activities in the last Knesset, and that they were not sectarian, should trust and loyalty, even though Likud is not transmitting loyalty back to them.

Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman took an interest whether various parties rejected sitting with ultra-Orthodox parties in the coalition, and Likud representatives responded that the answer is no, but demanded that they obtain an outline on equality burden. Yuahadut Hatorah representatives said they expect to hear similar demand for equal burden from the Arabs.

The parties agreed to meet soon, in order to promote negotiations between them.

Speaking to journalists Litzman said that "there is no doubt the issue of equality burden is the central theme which will accompany the period of coalition negotiations. But I have no intention to enter details on coalition talks."

Gafni said: "The Prime Minister should make sure Shas and Yahadut Hatorah will be in the next coalition." When asked whether Yahadut Hatorah can accept the quota principle law of equality burden – he answered firmly: "There is no such thing that anyone here would support quotas."

Likud's negotiating team met later with Hatnua party's negotiating team, and then there will be a meeting with the negotiating team at Kadima. Following the meeting with the representatives of Hatnua, they said: "The teams met and discussed on the critical issues for the formation of next government. Hatnua emphasized the importance of the political process, led by Tzipi Livni. The parties also discussed issues of equal burden, economy and society, and agreed to meet as soon as possible for further negotiations."

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!