Israel, Orthodox Jewry, Palestine, etc

“We see here before us the establishment of a bourgeois government, which for the first time consists entirely of members of the upper class… a government whose leaders do not know the meaning of hardship. And as if that were not enough, they are also the ones that are supposed to cut the flesh, to order the difficult cuts whose immediate casualties will be the poor. They are the ones who unfortunately have to determine policies,” Deri wrote on his Facebook wall.

Times of Israel Deri-lashes-out-at-pm-and-bourgeois-government<Click

“The 2013 elections will be remembered as the day in which the entire public shunned the traditional and ultra-Orthodox Jews because of their beliefs and views,” Yishai wrote. “Kind words cannot sweeten the conflict and the deep rift that was created during the present period, but it will be remembered for many years to come.”

“With raised heads and with pride we will go into the opposition,” he said. 

nytimes.com/netanyahu-israel-coalition<Click 

“There might be an option that the term ‘Jewish state’ will not be a threatening term to many of the Jews, which is the case right now,” said Yedidia Z. Stern, who runs the religion and state program at the Israel Democracy Institute. But, Professor Stern cautioned, “the schism between the ultra-Orthodox and Israeli society might become more severe; the schism between those who have and those who have not might become more severe; and the schism between Palestinians and Israelis will become more severe.” 

Star.com/news/world/2013/israeli_parties_strike_coalition<Click

Netanyahu struggled to form a coalition, and required an extra two-week extension to wrap up the deal. Had he not formed a coalition by Saturday, the country could have been forced to hold a new election.

Netanyahu is likely to face many disgruntled members in his own Likud Party, which was forced to give up key Cabinet posts to appease Lapid.

Zeev Elkin, a Likud lawmaker, accused Lapid of “extortion.”

“There is no other expression to describe it,” he told Israel Radio.

Arieh Deri, leader of the ultra-Orthodox Shas party, told Army radio that he will join a fighting opposition ... “Our first mission is to topple this government,” he said.