United Torah Judaism conditions coalition entry on Shas inclusion

United Torah Judaism tells Gadi Eisenkot it will not join a coalition without Shas, complicating negotiations. Avigdor Lieberman demands Shas be included immediately, while Eisenkot prefers a phased approach. The left bloc fears UTJ is conducting sham talks to weaken conscription demands.

The coalition negotiations of Gadi Eisenkot with the Haredi parties are encountering difficulties. United Torah Judaism clarifies that it will not join the government without Shas, while Eisenkot prefers to proceed first with United Torah Judaism alone and bring Shas in at a later stage. Avigdor Lieberman, on the other hand, demands to bring both parties in from the start. In the background, Eisenkot bases his plan on a possible abstention by Ra'am in the confidence vote, but this abstention is not guaranteed. United Torah Judaism fears that entering a secular-liberal coalition without Shas would weaken their ability to stand by their demands, especially regarding the conscription law and the status of yeshiva students. Aryeh Deri's position remains unclear, and sources familiar with the negotiations report that there is no certainty about his decision.