Subscribe to Print Edition | Tue., April 01, 2008 Adar2 26, 5768 | | Israel Time: 01:40 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Children playing Monday in the ultra-Orthodox settlement of Modi'in Ilit. (Nir Kafri) Last update - 10:22 31/03/2008 UTJ joins Yesha Council, seeks expansion of Haredi settlement By Yair Ettinger Tags: UTJ, Haredi, Israel  The ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism party joined hands for the first time Sunday with the Yesha Council of settlements, to promote a cause that both hold dear: expanding the population of the Haredi settlement of Beitar Ilit, located between Jerusalem and Gush Etzion. "We all have the same feelings about the Land of Israel," declared MK Avraham Ravitz (UTJ) at a special faction meeting in the settlement, to which leaders of the Yesha Council were invited. "We need pressure, pressure, pressure." Referring to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's pledge to U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to freeze construction in the settlements, Ravitz added: "Olmert must tell his rabbi, Condoleezza, 'I can't do it.'" Advertisement One goal of the meeting was to pressure Shas, another ultra-Orthodox party, to quit the government over its decision to stop marketing 800 apartments in Beitar Ilit. The town, which currently has some 31,000 residents, is one of the most sought-after locations for young Haredi couples in the Jerusalem area. "We must work together with anybody who is pressuring the government to revoke this edict [the marketing freeze]," declared another UTJ MK, Meir Porush. "The UTJ faction came to Beitar today in part to create pressure on other members of the coalition." On Monday, Shas MKs will also tour Beitar Ilit - where they will be greeted with posters declaring: "Shas is freezing the city." UTJ members pledged yesterday that should Shas quit over the marketing freeze, they would not replace it in the government. MK Yaakov Litzman (UTJ) said he had arranged Sunday's meeting as part of a larger pressure campaign against the freeze that would also include no-confidence motions. He said he was "anxiously waiting" to see how Shas will respond to this week's motion, because if it threatens to vote no-confidence unless the freeze is lifted, then it will be - instantly. "I guarantee it. Five minutes, by the clock," he said. Some of the MKs were careful to avoid larger questions about the future of the territories, focusing instead on the Haredi community's severe housing shortage. Moshe Gafni, for instance, said he was uncomfortable with the political statements made by some of his colleagues, because "the issue isn't political, it's social." Regarding that aspect, however, he was no less adamant than the others. "The faction should meet with the prime minister and tell him that we will wage world war over this," he said. "The community is being strangled. It's heading for an explosion." But even had there been no political statements, Monday's meeting would probably have come as a shock to Rabbi Eliezer Shach, who led the Lithuanian wing of the Haredi community, which UTJ represents, until his death in 2001. Though Shach hated the Israeli left, he was also a sworn opponent of the settlements - due in part to fear of "provoking the world" - and they were established over his objections. Today, however, Haredi settlements are the leading source of growth for the Jewish population of the territories. Related articles: Ultra-Orthodox Jews deliver a population boom to the West Bank PM didn't know in advance of tenders for West Bank houses Shas claims credit for construction in J'lem, W. Bank Bookmark to del.icio.us   The gift of dignity T.A. charity provides female drug addicts with shower, meal and counseling. Sign of life Hamas leader says Gilad Shalit is still alive after two years in captivity.   1.   this whole article highlights "a den of thieves" 05:22  |  eric 31/03/08   2.   Israel has only two messages to send 05:40  |  Mark Lincoln 31/03/08   3.   Olmert held a press conference 07:51  |  Johnboy 31/03/08   4.   Zionism outlives Rav Shach 11:28  |  eddie 31/03/08   5.   UTJ was always pro-settler 13:20  |  Rowan Berkeley 31/03/08   6.   Yesha Council should be treated as terrorist organisation 18:51  |  John 31/03/08   7.   1) Rabbi Shach 2) Settlements 20:31  |  Yechiel 31/03/08

Today Online Jerusalem council okays 600 new Jewish homes in Arab area Responses: 202 Yishai: Israel must negotiate with Hamas over Shalit release Responses: 125 Editorial: Peace talks, even on Jerusalem, must be secret Responses: 43 MK Swaid: Demolition of Arab homes will lead to an explosion Responses: 44 More Headlines 21:34 Israeli kills Palestinian knifeman in attempted West Bank attack 01:40 Barak heeds Rice request, reverses course to back PA border proposal 21:54 Jerusalem council okays 600 new Jewish homes in Arab area 00:17 Abducted soldier's mother: PM must pay price to retrieve them 23:09 Amir Peretz to Ehud Barak: Who would want to vote for you? 23:51 IDF tracker charged with 'aiding Hezbollah in war against Israel' 16:30 Norway tries suspects in 2006 shooting at main Oslo synagogue 19:40 Clinton and Obama voters support Israel in similar numbers 20:06 Once a week, the gift of human dignity 21:28 Barak allots NIS 30M more for security in frontline communities 23:04 Law sets 3-year jail penalty for car-owners who go to mechanics in PA 18:52 Rights group demands gov't stop demolishing Bedouin homes 17:39 Mazuz rejects call to indict Netanyahu over London spending spree Previous Editions Select Day 31 mar 30 mar 28 mar 27 mar 26 mar 25 mar 24 mar 23 mar 21 mar 20 mar 19 mar 18 mar

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