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Shas never stopped campaigning By Yair Ettinger and Roni Singer-Heruti Meretz resumes election drive, focuses on diplomatic issues Officially, Shas suspended its electoral campaign when the war in Gaza began. In fact, however, parts are still going strong. The party's advertising campaign in the Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) press has continued unabated, under slogans such as "you need a strong Shas in the government." The ads, aimed both at its Haredi base and at supporters of the rival ultra-Orthodox party, United Torah Judaism, detail Shas' achievements in Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's government: more state funding for yeshivas, a successful battle against imposing a core curriculum on Haredi schools, and preventing further cuts in child allowances. Advertisement Shas is also targeting the religious Zionist public, hoping to benefit from the bitter infighting among the religious Zionist parties: On Friday, it ran ads in the free weekly Basheva, which is distributed primarily in religious Zionist communities. In addition, it has plastered huge advertisements on buses, posted a 37-minute campaign video on its Web site and e-mailed the video to supporters. Meanwhile, Meretz decided last week to resume its campaign, which it formally suspended when the fighting in Gaza first broke out. The centerpiece of the renewed campaign will be a demand that Israel stop its assault on Gaza immediately. The party plans to put up posters and bus advertisements this week bearing the slogan: "We aren't compromising: A diplomatic solution is needed." Later, the "we aren't compromising" heading will also be used in the party's campaign ads on other issues, such as education and the environment. Meretz had originally hoped to focus its campaign primarily on socioeconomic issues. However, the operation in Gaza forced it to revise this approach. Bookmark to del.icio.us   From the bunker Hamas says Gaza won't break, victory over Israel is near. Banned Israel bans Arab parties from running in upcoming elections.

Read & React Legal expert: Rising Gaza death toll doesn't mean IDF acts are disproportionate Responses: 102 Sources: Hamas leaders hiding in basement of Israel-built hospital in Gaza Responses: 72 IDF: Hamas rocket fire down 50% since start of Gaza op Responses: 28 Gideon Levy: Israel's leaders will pay for the bloodshed in Gaza Responses: 55 Aluf Benn: Israel has a double standard when it comes to UN resolutions Responses: 42 More Headlines 23:21 IDF soldier seriously hurt in Gaza, possibly by friendly fire 01:03 Haniyeh: Hamas is willing to negotiate on Gaza cease-fire 00:54 Israel bans Arab parties from running in upcoming elections 19:35 Bush: Hamas must stop rocket fire if it wants Gaza truce 17:40 UN Human Rights Council condemns Israel over Gaza op 23:01 IDF reservist refuses to fight in Gaza over civilian deaths 16:55 Gaza War Diary IV - Can people die of ambivalence? 11:28 Amira Hass / Gazans doing their best to avoid becoming death statistics 18:20 Peres: The IDF has never been better trained, as sophisticated 18:20 Get up to the minute coverage of the warfare in Gaza directly to your email 22:59 Gaza rocket strikes Ashkelon home, residents flee to shelter 21:42 Israel voices concern over anti-Semitic attacks in Europe 18:43 Olmert: Gaza war won't end until rockets and smuggling stop 14:05 Immigration officials: Gaza op hasn`t deterred infiltration of migrants from Egypt 13:12 France vows to punish assailants who hurled firebombs at Paris synagogue 13:50 ANALYSIS / Israel's victories in Gaza make up for its failures in Lebanon Previous Editions Select Day 12 jan 11 jan 09 jan 08 jan 07 jan 06 jan 05 jan 04 jan 02 jan 01 jan 31 dec 30 dec

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