Shas Weenies Still in Olmert's Pocket

B"H

Obviously the Shas weenies are still in Olmert's pocket. They haven't succeeded in leaving the government, and it has been over 24 hours since the JPOST story of Livni's treason was reported.

When will we learn that Shas only cares about Shas? If there is no money or power in it for them, they don't care.

Destroy Jewish homes--as long as Shas gets funding for their schools.
Allow Sedrot to be bombed--as long as Shas gets the Religious Affairs Ministry.
Allow Jerusalem to be divided--reward to be determined.

Shame on Shas.

M
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Likud MK Saar to Shas: "You Promised, Now Quit"
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/125216
by Hillel Fendel

(IsraelNN.com)
"...or perhaps Yishai is simply believing what he wants to believe."
With secret talks over the future of Jerusalem underway, Likud MK Gideon Saar reminds Shas that it promised to quit the moment such talks started. Pressure has been brought to bear upon Shas from other quarters as well.

MK Gideon Saar, head of the Likud Knesset faction, says that the Shas Party is not living up to its promise of only two weeks ago to quit the government as soon as it begins talking about the future of Jerusalem.

Saar, speaking at the Likud Knesset faction's weekly meeting on Monday, said, "There is evidence that negotiations about Jerusalem are underway - and this has not been denied by the foreign minister [Tzipi Livni]. Under these circumstances, the Shas Party, which declared that it would quit the coalition the moment discussions about Jerusalem begin, must fulfill its promise in order to stop this process."

Two Weeks Ago
It was exactly two weeks ago that the Council of Torah Sages of the Shas party, headed by former Chief Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, decided that Shas would quit the coalition government as soon as government representatives start talking with the PA about splitting Jerusalem.

The decision had been long awaited by the nationalist camp and many Shas supporters, especially given the fact that two weeks before, Yisrael Beiteinu (Israel Our Home) left the government. The government now depends on Shas and its 11 MKs for its very existence; without them, the coalition would number only three parties - Kadima, Labor and the Pensioners - and a total of 55 Knesset Members, or less than a majority of the Knesset.

Shas Spokesman Denies Talks
Shas, however, has a different version of the situation. "[Shas party leader and Industry and Trade Minister] Eli Yeshai speaks with Foreign Minister Livni every day," Shas spokesman Ro'i Lachmanovitch told Arutz-7 Monday afternoon, "and she briefs him on everything that goes on in the talks. Jerusalem is not on the agenda, period."

Arutz-7's Haggai Huberman said that it is clear that Livni is deceiving Yishai, "or perhaps Yishai is simply believing what he wants to believe. The Olmert strategy is that all the core issues are intertwined, and therefore if even one issue is being discussed, then all the issues are being discussed - including Jerusalem."

Huberman explained that originally, Livni suggested there be separate negotiating teams set up for each of the various issues, such as final borders, Jerusalem, water, refugees, etc. However, Olmert rejected this idea outright, saying that all the issues are intertwined, and that a concession on one issue could be given only in exchange for a concession from the PA side on another issue. He therefore instructed that all negotiations be done by the same team headed by Minister Livni.

"Yishai is well aware of this Olmert strategy," Huberman said, "and therefore he knows that if talks are underway, Jerusalem is on the table as well."

Abbas and Others Confirm Talks
PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, the head of Fatah, said last Thursday as well that Livni and PA negotiator Abu Alla have been talking about "all the core issues." He told a group of European Parliament members that this is being done "quietly, away from the media."

The Makor Rishon newspaper reported earlier in the week that Livni herself confirmed this in a talk with foreign diplomats. She told them that all the core issues, including Jerusalem, were being discussed, and admitted that this was in contradiction to the promise Olmert gave Shas a number of days before.

Despite this, the Shas spokesman told Arutz-7 that though Livni has not denied the reports that Jerusalem is being discussed, "she has not confirmed them either."

PA Source: Israel Agreed to Quit Jerusalem Neighborhoods
Furthermore, a "senior PA official in Ramallah" was quoted in the Jerusalem Post as having said over the weekend that the PA negotiating team has been holding secret talks with Foreign Minister Livni, and that "progress has been achieved during the secret talks, particularly on the issue of Jerusalem."

"We can now say that Israel is prepared to withdraw from almost all the Arab neighborhoods and villages in Jerusalem," the official said. "Israel is prepared to redivide Jerusalem and this is a positive development."

In a letter to Foreign Minister Livni, Jerusalem City Councilman and likely future mayoral candidate Nir Barkat wrote, "If these reports are true, they are a complete departure from the fundamental principles of [your] Kadima party, and a blatant violation of Israel's Basic Law: Jerusalem. They are also a breach of the voters' trust, as well as an undermining of Israel's sovereignty."

Barkat asked, "In your role as negotiations coordinator with the Palestinians, do you confirm that Israel is now prepared to give up parts of Jerusalem to them? If so, and in light of their severity and grave implications for the security and future of Jerusalem, I demand that you reveal from the Knesset podium all the agreements, secret and otherwise, that Israel has reached with the Palestinians. Alternatively, I demand that you deny publicly the existence of such agreements."

In light of the reports, pressure has once again been brought to bear upon Shas and Rabbi Yosef to quit the government and nip the process in the bud. The party spokesman's response indicates that as of now, Shas is remaining in the government.

On the other hand, late this afternoon, Shas Chairman Eli Yishai told his party colleagues, "If the negotiations lead to any further progress while Kassams are still being fired upon us and terrorism is continuing in the West Bank [Judea and Samaria], we will quit the government."

M
-----
Likud MK Saar to Shas: "You Promised, Now Quit"
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/125216
by Hillel Fendel

(IsraelNN.com)
"...or perhaps Yishai is simply believing what he wants to believe."
With secret talks over the future of Jerusalem underway, Likud MK Gideon Saar reminds Shas that it promised to quit the moment such talks started. Pressure has been brought to bear upon Shas from other quarters as well.

MK Gideon Saar, head of the Likud Knesset faction, says that the Shas Party is not living up to its promise of only two weeks ago to quit the government as soon as it begins talking about the future of Jerusalem.

Saar, speaking at the Likud Knesset faction's weekly meeting on Monday, said, "There is evidence that negotiations about Jerusalem are underway - and this has not been denied by the foreign minister [Tzipi Livni]. Under these circumstances, the Shas Party, which declared that it would quit the coalition the moment discussions about Jerusalem begin, must fulfill its promise in order to stop this process."

Two Weeks Ago
It was exactly two weeks ago that the Council of Torah Sages of the Shas party, headed by former Chief Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, decided that Shas would quit the coalition government as soon as government representatives start talking with the PA about splitting Jerusalem.

The decision had been long awaited by the nationalist camp and many Shas supporters, especially given the fact that two weeks before, Yisrael Beiteinu (Israel Our Home) left the government. The government now depends on Shas and its 11 MKs for its very existence; without them, the coalition would number only three parties - Kadima, Labor and the Pensioners - and a total of 55 Knesset Members, or less than a majority of the Knesset.

Shas Spokesman Denies Talks
Shas, however, has a different version of the situation. "[Shas party leader and Industry and Trade Minister] Eli Yeshai speaks with Foreign Minister Livni every day," Shas spokesman Ro'i Lachmanovitch told Arutz-7 Monday afternoon, "and she briefs him on everything that goes on in the talks. Jerusalem is not on the agenda, period."

Arutz-7's Haggai Huberman said that it is clear that Livni is deceiving Yishai, "or perhaps Yishai is simply believing what he wants to believe. The Olmert strategy is that all the core issues are intertwined, and therefore if even one issue is being discussed, then all the issues are being discussed - including Jerusalem."

Huberman explained that originally, Livni suggested there be separate negotiating teams set up for each of the various issues, such as final borders, Jerusalem, water, refugees, etc. However, Olmert rejected this idea outright, saying that all the issues are intertwined, and that a concession on one issue could be given only in exchange for a concession from the PA side on another issue. He therefore instructed that all negotiations be done by the same team headed by Minister Livni.

"Yishai is well aware of this Olmert strategy," Huberman said, "and therefore he knows that if talks are underway, Jerusalem is on the table as well."

Abbas and Others Confirm Talks
PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, the head of Fatah, said last Thursday as well that Livni and PA negotiator Abu Alla have been talking about "all the core issues." He told a group of European Parliament members that this is being done "quietly, away from the media."

The Makor Rishon newspaper reported earlier in the week that Livni herself confirmed this in a talk with foreign diplomats. She told them that all the core issues, including Jerusalem, were being discussed, and admitted that this was in contradiction to the promise Olmert gave Shas a number of days before.

Despite this, the Shas spokesman told Arutz-7 that though Livni has not denied the reports that Jerusalem is being discussed, "she has not confirmed them either."

PA Source: Israel Agreed to Quit Jerusalem Neighborhoods
Furthermore, a "senior PA official in Ramallah" was quoted in the Jerusalem Post as having said over the weekend that the PA negotiating team has been holding secret talks with Foreign Minister Livni, and that "progress has been achieved during the secret talks, particularly on the issue of Jerusalem."

"We can now say that Israel is prepared to withdraw from almost all the Arab neighborhoods and villages in Jerusalem," the official said. "Israel is prepared to redivide Jerusalem and this is a positive development."

In a letter to Foreign Minister Livni, Jerusalem City Councilman and likely future mayoral candidate Nir Barkat wrote, "If these reports are true, they are a complete departure from the fundamental principles of [your] Kadima party, and a blatant violation of Israel's Basic Law: Jerusalem. They are also a breach of the voters' trust, as well as an undermining of Israel's sovereignty."

Barkat asked, "In your role as negotiations coordinator with the Palestinians, do you confirm that Israel is now prepared to give up parts of Jerusalem to them? If so, and in light of their severity and grave implications for the security and future of Jerusalem, I demand that you reveal from the Knesset podium all the agreements, secret and otherwise, that Israel has reached with the Palestinians. Alternatively, I demand that you deny publicly the existence of such agreements."

In light of the reports, pressure has once again been brought to bear upon Shas and Rabbi Yosef to quit the government and nip the process in the bud. The party spokesman's response indicates that as of now, Shas is remaining in the government.

On the other hand, late this afternoon, Shas Chairman Eli Yishai told his party colleagues, "If the negotiations lead to any further progress while Kassams are still being fired upon us and terrorism is continuing in the West Bank [Judea and Samaria], we will quit the government."