In Israel, Government Formed With Shas As Part of Coalition

Bloomberg News reports that in Israel yesterday, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was able to create a coalition government with a majority in in Knesset by bringing the Sephardic Orthodox religious party, Shas, into the coalition. Haaretz and the Jerusalem Post today report on detail of the agreement. Shas came in with the understanding that it did not agree to Olmert's plans for evacuation of some of the West Bank settlements. Shas also received a number of other concessions: increased allotments to socioeconomic programs; three cabinet positions (including a minister-without-portfolio in the Prime Minister's Office in charge of religious services); and a provision that essentially rules out any action on permitting civil marriage in Israel. Shas did not get the control it wanted of the Israel Lands Administration. Two other religious parties, the National Union-National Religious Party and United Torah Judaism, criticized Shas's decision to sign the coalition agreement.