Shinui party convention approved Thursday a compromise that allows party leaders to engage in coalition talks with the ultra-orthodox United Torah Judaism.
The approved compromise allows Shinui leders to hold negotiations with the ultra-Orthodox party, but should bring any agreement reached to the party committee for approval.
Ninety-three members of the party voted in favor of the compromise, while only 14 opposed it.
Shinui leader Justice Minister Yosef Lapid warned his party members prior to the Thursday vote that if they decided to bolts the coalition, Israel will have a government comprised of Likud and ultra-Orthodox parties UTJ and Shas.
‘We must consider that although we would be a little less proud and there would be a little more pain in our hearts, we will be partners in a government that wants to see economic reforms and the realization of the disengagement plan,’ Lapid said.
Shinui Rebels Pressing for a Thursday Vote
Shinui party conference would convene Thursday to decide whether the party can join a coalition with United Torah Judaism, (UTJ) a move that has stirred unprecedented unrest in the party.
The meeting is expected to be further complicated with the latest Likud-UTJ deal, in which Likud accepted to freeze amendments to Tal law and the civil marriage motion.
Shinui leaders Justice minister Yousef Lapid and Interior minister Avraham Poraz, who stand in favor of accepting partnership that includes UTJ, demanded that the coalition agreement signed between Shinui, Likud and the National Religious Party, which calls for a civil marriage law and amending the Tal Law concerning army service stay unchanged.
Amendment approved to Tal Law aimed at increasing the number of ultra-Orthidox men serving in the army; the civil marriage law aims at finding a solution for couples who cannot marry under religious restrictions embodied in current Israeli law.
Likud and Shinui negotiating teams met Wednesday in Ramat Gan. After the meeting Poraz said that the gaps between Shinui and UTJ were large.
The ‘rebels’ at the Shinui party conference intend to force a vote on the subject, a situation which Lapid and Poraz are attempting to avoid.
