Lieberman to meet religious party heads in bid to solve rift over civil agenda

Yisrael Beiteinu Chairman Avigdor Lieberman is scheduled to meet on Monday with leaders of right-wing ultra-Orthodox parties in a bid to solve the rift between them over matters of state and religion.

The meeting was initiated by Lieberman, and is expected to include representatives from tultra-Orthodox parties, including the National Union party, Habayit Hayehudi and Agudat Israel.

If Lieberman and the Haredi leaders are able to reach agreements, it would make Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu's task of forging a narrow right-wing government easier.

As a precondition for joining a coalition, Yisrael Beiteinu has demanded that civil unions be permitted for couples who are unable to marry under Jewish law.

Likud representatives said that they were certain a solution could be reached for the 300,000 people considered non-Jews according to Jewish law, who immigrated to Israel in the last two decades.

The Likud also said it would work to make the conversion process simpler and more efficient.

Despite Yisrael Beiteinu's demands, the party platform does not call for a complete separation between state and religion.