Shas attempts to form haredi bloc
Party Chairman Yishai meets with United Torah Judaism's Litzman in bid to
form coalition of 18 Knesset members in negotiations for joining Livni-led
government. 'A joint bloc means greater power,' says Yishai associate
Attila Somfalvi YNET Published: 09.25.08, 00:19 / Israel News
www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3601800,00.html

Haredi cooperation? Shas Chairman Eli Yishai met Wednesday with Knesset
Member Yakov Litzman (United Torah Judaism) in a bid to form a united
ultra-Orthodox bloc in the negotiations with newly elected Kadima Chairwoman
Tzipi Livni.

The two discussed the possibility of joining a new Livni-led government
together.

A source close to Minister Yishai said following the meeting that "he has
been working to form a bloc with UTJ in terms of the child allowances, which
are the key issue for both parties.

"Yishai is also working to build a join haredi bloc which will enter the
government. The Shas chairman attempted to form such a bloc before the
Olmert-led government was established, but this attempt failed. A joint bloc
means greater power."

The two parties did not name a recommended candidate for forming the next
government in their meetings with President Shimon Peres earlier this week.
Together, Shas and UTJ have 18 MKs, nearly equaling the Labor Party which
has 19 members in the Knesset.

Earlier Wednesday, Yishai appointed Attorney David Glass and Prof. Yohanan
Shatsman as his representatives in the coalition talks with Kadima. He
instructed them that the Jerusalem issue should not be discussed and that
there should be no compromise on the child allowance issue.

Livni and Yishai met on Tuesday and agreed that representatives from both
parties would soon meet in an attempt to bridge the ideological gaps between
the parties, particularly with regards to socio-economic issues, and draft
guidelines for the new government.

During the meeting, Yishai mentioned Jerusalem and child welfare payments,
as well as the rise in rent prices.