http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/Flash.aspx/139838(IsraelNN.com) Industry, Trade and Labor Minister Eli Yishai, head of the Shas party, called Yisrael Beiteinu party chairman and Strategic Affairs Minister Avigdor Lieberman Tuesday from China to ask whether he intends to pull out of the government.
Lieberman has said he will quit the coalition if Israel holds final status talks with the Palestinian Authority. Negotiations began Monday over “core issues” – including the issues of permanent borders in the creation of a PA state, the status of Jerusalem and whether Israel will hand over part of the capital to the PA and agreement on allowing millions of foreign Arabs to immigrate to Israel as descendants of those who fled during the 1948 war.
Yishai told Lieberman that Shas will quit the government if Israel negotiates over Jerusalem, in accordance with a directive from the party’s spiritual leader, former Sephardic Chief Rabbi Ovadia Yosef. Yisrael Beiteinu secretariat members met Tuesday night to discuss the matter. A final decision is expected Wednesday.