Last update - 00:00 21/02/2007
United Torah Judaism rejects PM offer to join the coalition
By Mazal Mualem, Haaretz Correspondent
United Torah Judaism (UTJ) decided on Wednesday to reject Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's offer to join the coalition or support it from outside in return for concessions.
The ultra-Orthodox party's response terminated months of negotiations that began immediately after the elections in April.
Before giving their answer, the party met to discuss Olmert's offer which promised the Knesset Finance Committee would stay in their hands in return for their support. However, at the gathering UTJ members said the proposal "wasn't serious" and rejected it.
Olmert had hoped to add UTJ to his coalition, designating the party the Welfare portfolio and keeping UTJ MK Ya'akov Litzman as head of the Finance Committee, a position which is now expected to be awarded to the Avigdor Lieberman's Yisrael Beiteinu.
Minister of Strategic Affairs Lieberman has been demanding the position of Finance Committee head and on Tuesday made it clear to Olmert that if would not be given to him he "wouldn't want it anymore," falling short of threatening to quit the coalition but signaling his commitment to the government will diminish.