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Barak Warns Shas, UTJ Not to Topple Government
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak warned Shas and United Torah Judaism (UTJ) on Monday that if they join the efforts to topple the government during the summer recess of the Knesset (parliament), their interests would be greatly harmed.
Barak did not reveal what measures he will take to punish those two parties, but said he would find ways of "being less considerate" to their interests, according to Israel Radio.
Sources in the Prime Minister's Office told the Radio that measures Barak would take against the two parties include providing less funds to the Shas educational system and considering passing legislation on conscripting religious students to the army.
Shas, which has 17 Knesset members, left Barak's coalition in July just before Barak decided to go the Camp David summit in the United States to work out a peace agreement with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.
The UTJ, an ultra-Orthodox party, agreed to be Barak's coalition partner but not take any cabinet posts when Barak formed his coalition in July 1999.
The two parties, together with the opposition Likud and another ultra-Orthodox party, the National Religious party, strongly opposed Barak's plan to formulate a new national constitution.
Barak announced Saturday night that he plans to finish formulating the new constitution within one year, which will include the abolition of the Religious Affairs Ministry, the introduction of civil marriage and letting all the state-funded schools study three core subjects of English, mathematics and civics.
Shas leader Eli Yishai said on Sunday that Barak's plan is a bad plan which could cause a rift in the country.
UTJ on Monday totally rejected Barak's warning, saying that Barak's move was "childish."
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