Shas: If Olmert Turns Thoughts into Decision
- We Quit Gov't
by Hillel Fendel
(IsraelNN.com) "If Olmert makes a decision to divide Jerusalem, we'll quit the government - and
so will Yisrael Beiteinu." So says Shas leader Eli Yeshai.
Speaking on Monday on Arutz-7's Hebrew newsmagazine, Yishai - Deputy Prime Minister,
leader of the Shas hareidi-religious Shas Party, and the Minister of Industry and Trade - said,
"It's true that the Prime Minister has talked about Jerusalem, but I have told him that if
Jerusalem is raised as a negotiating issue, we will no longer be in his government."
"The Prime Minister has to make a decision," Yeshai said. "Either he brings up Jerusalem -
and then he won't have a government, or he retains Jerusalem as the 'pinnacle of our joy'
[based on Psalms 137,6] and doesn't discuss it. We [Shas] prevented Jerusalem from being
brought up at Annapolis; if we can continue to do so, we'll stay, and if not, we'll leave."
Letter to Bush About Pollard
During US President George W. Bush's visit to Israel this week, Yishai plans to give him, via
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, a letter from Shas spiritual leader and Israel's former Sephardic
Chief Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef, appealing for freedom for Jonathan Pollard.
Yeshai did not say if he had confidence that Olmert would actually hand over the letter to Bush.
It will be recalled that Olmert's predecessor Ariel Sharon, in February 2002, was given a letter
on behalf of Pollard signed by 110 Knesset Members to give to Bush, but - it was later found
out - never delivered it to its destination. Similarly a few months later, when Sharon met again
with Bush in Washington, the issue of Pollard was not raised. Olmert, too, has been roundly
criticized in the Pollard camp for all but ignoring him.
Rabbi Yosef's letter explains the importance of the concept and religious obligation of "freeing
captives" in Jewish tradition, and the urgency of the Pollard case in particular.
US Can Pressure - and Can Also Give
Minister Yeshai said that in light of US pressure upon Israel to free terrorist prisoners, Israel is
well within its rights in asking that Pollard be released: "The U.S. always asks us to make
concessions to the Palestinians, so we can ask for some of our own. Up to now, we have
released only terrorists without blood on their hands - but we've received nothing in return,
including [captive soldier] Gilad Shalit. I say that we should separate two things: On the one
hand, we must wage talks with the PA very firmly, and not release any prisoners before we also
get Shalit. At the same time, with the US asking us to come towards and make gestures
towards our enemies, it is clear that the US can also make a gesture for us - namely, Jonathan
Pollard."
Asked which terrorist prisoners he would agree to release, Yeshai said, "I object to freeing
anyone with blood on their hands - but there are others who are also currently not being
released whom I would consider releasing. Young terrorists who still have many years to serve
but who did not murder anyone - I would be willing to cede a bit on them in order to get Pollard
and Shalit. The US must understand us and not just make demands; Pollard has been there
22 years, and it's time he comes home."
Yeshai also said he has been working on behalf of some of the approximately 25 Jewish
security prisoners, though "this has to do with President Peres, of course, and not the
Palestinians..."
Asked if these positions are not simply meant to allay the right-wing pressures upon him to quit
the government and stop propping it up, Yeshai responded, "First of all, let me reassure you:
there are no pressures from the right, and even if there are, our decisions are all made by
Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef and the Council of Torah Sages. If we're in the government, it's in order
to influence the events, and if we can't do that, we won't be there. If they discuss Jerusalem,
we will quit in accordance with Rabbi Ovadiah's decision... We and [the other rightward-leaning
party] Yisrael Beiteinu are working in cooperation, though we each make our own decisions. I
believe that if we quit the government, they will do so as well."
Olmert's government is based on the support of the five coalition parties' 77 MKs: Kadima (29),
Labor (19), Shas (11), Yisrael Beiteinu (11), and Pensioners (7). If both Shas and Yisrael
Beiteinu (Israel Our Home) were to quit, the government would be left without a majority of the
120-member Knesset legislature.
- We Quit Gov't
by Hillel Fendel
(IsraelNN.com) "If Olmert makes a decision to divide Jerusalem, we'll quit the government - and
so will Yisrael Beiteinu." So says Shas leader Eli Yeshai.
Speaking on Monday on Arutz-7's Hebrew newsmagazine, Yishai - Deputy Prime Minister,
leader of the Shas hareidi-religious Shas Party, and the Minister of Industry and Trade - said,
"It's true that the Prime Minister has talked about Jerusalem, but I have told him that if
Jerusalem is raised as a negotiating issue, we will no longer be in his government."
"The Prime Minister has to make a decision," Yeshai said. "Either he brings up Jerusalem -
and then he won't have a government, or he retains Jerusalem as the 'pinnacle of our joy'
[based on Psalms 137,6] and doesn't discuss it. We [Shas] prevented Jerusalem from being
brought up at Annapolis; if we can continue to do so, we'll stay, and if not, we'll leave."
Letter to Bush About Pollard
During US President George W. Bush's visit to Israel this week, Yishai plans to give him, via
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, a letter from Shas spiritual leader and Israel's former Sephardic
Chief Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef, appealing for freedom for Jonathan Pollard.
Yeshai did not say if he had confidence that Olmert would actually hand over the letter to Bush.
It will be recalled that Olmert's predecessor Ariel Sharon, in February 2002, was given a letter
on behalf of Pollard signed by 110 Knesset Members to give to Bush, but - it was later found
out - never delivered it to its destination. Similarly a few months later, when Sharon met again
with Bush in Washington, the issue of Pollard was not raised. Olmert, too, has been roundly
criticized in the Pollard camp for all but ignoring him.
Rabbi Yosef's letter explains the importance of the concept and religious obligation of "freeing
captives" in Jewish tradition, and the urgency of the Pollard case in particular.
US Can Pressure - and Can Also Give
Minister Yeshai said that in light of US pressure upon Israel to free terrorist prisoners, Israel is
well within its rights in asking that Pollard be released: "The U.S. always asks us to make
concessions to the Palestinians, so we can ask for some of our own. Up to now, we have
released only terrorists without blood on their hands - but we've received nothing in return,
including [captive soldier] Gilad Shalit. I say that we should separate two things: On the one
hand, we must wage talks with the PA very firmly, and not release any prisoners before we also
get Shalit. At the same time, with the US asking us to come towards and make gestures
towards our enemies, it is clear that the US can also make a gesture for us - namely, Jonathan
Pollard."
Asked which terrorist prisoners he would agree to release, Yeshai said, "I object to freeing
anyone with blood on their hands - but there are others who are also currently not being
released whom I would consider releasing. Young terrorists who still have many years to serve
but who did not murder anyone - I would be willing to cede a bit on them in order to get Pollard
and Shalit. The US must understand us and not just make demands; Pollard has been there
22 years, and it's time he comes home."
Yeshai also said he has been working on behalf of some of the approximately 25 Jewish
security prisoners, though "this has to do with President Peres, of course, and not the
Palestinians..."
Asked if these positions are not simply meant to allay the right-wing pressures upon him to quit
the government and stop propping it up, Yeshai responded, "First of all, let me reassure you:
there are no pressures from the right, and even if there are, our decisions are all made by
Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef and the Council of Torah Sages. If we're in the government, it's in order
to influence the events, and if we can't do that, we won't be there. If they discuss Jerusalem,
we will quit in accordance with Rabbi Ovadiah's decision... We and [the other rightward-leaning
party] Yisrael Beiteinu are working in cooperation, though we each make our own decisions. I
believe that if we quit the government, they will do so as well."
Olmert's government is based on the support of the five coalition parties' 77 MKs: Kadima (29),
Labor (19), Shas (11), Yisrael Beiteinu (11), and Pensioners (7). If both Shas and Yisrael
Beiteinu (Israel Our Home) were to quit, the government would be left without a majority of the
120-member Knesset legislature.
BCIC OFFICE
Biblical Counseling and Intercession Centre (BCIC)
Mbezi Beach, Bagamoyo Road, Interchick Bus Stand
Phone: +255 22 2627979
HEAD OFFICE:
Word And Peace Organization (WAPO)
P.O. Box 6178, DAR ES SALAAM
Working hours(08:00-16:00)
Phone: +255 22 2850234
Fax: 255 22 2851266
Email:info@wapotz.org
Biblical Counseling and Intercession Centre (BCIC)
Mbezi Beach, Bagamoyo Road, Interchick Bus Stand
Phone: +255 22 2627979
HEAD OFFICE:
Word And Peace Organization (WAPO)
P.O. Box 6178, DAR ES SALAAM
Working hours(08:00-16:00)
Phone: +255 22 2850234
Fax: 255 22 2851266
Email:info@wapotz.org
