Religious Parties Choose Shamir : Votes of 2 Groups Open Way for Him to Form Israeli Government

Two ultra-Orthodox religious parties Sunday threw their weight behind Israel’s right-wing Likud Party and cleared the way for Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir to head the country’s next government.

The decision of the religious parties followed 12 days of tense negotiations with Likud, which won a narrow plurality in parliamentary elections held Nov. 1. With its own 40 seats and the 11 seats offered Sunday, plus previously pledged support from one other religious party and three far-right parties, Likud can claim a majority with 63 seats in the 120-member Knesset, Israel’s Parliament.

That is more than enough for Shamir to take power, barring complications in building his Cabinet.

“Mr. Shamir, you will be the prime minister,” said Rabbi Arye Deri, an official of the Shas (Sephardic Torah Guardians) party, an ultra-Orthodox group that represents Israelis of North African descent and which gave the budding Likud Knesset bloc six seats.

Herzog May Act Today

By law, Israel’s ceremonial president, Chaim Herzog, designates which party, based on potential Knesset strength, has the right to form the next government. Herzog’s decision is expected as early as today.

Likud’s emergence as the likely core of the new Israeli government has important implications for peace prospects in the Middle East. Shamir has steadfastly opposed U.S.-backed talks that would include Palestinian delegates as well as officials from neighboring Jordan, all meeting under international auspices.

The outcome evidently sinks the hopes of the center-left Labor Party of being selected to form a government. Labor, led by Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, won 39 seats. It campaigned on a pledge to start Middle East peace talks with the goal of ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Peres’ Icy Reaction

Reacting to the news of the religious support for Likud, Peres said stiffly, “We are going into opposition.”

The price that Likud paid the religious parties includes support for a controversial law that would grant Orthodox rabbis authority over Jewish conversions. The measure is sharply opposed as divisive by secular Israelis and by most Jewish groups in the United States.

The ultra-Orthodox are also likely to gain more funds for housing and religious education, as well as restrictions on public activities on the Sabbath.

Besides Shas, Agudat Israel, another ultra-Orthodox party, gave Likud its backing with five seats. Likud had already won the support of the Orthodox National Religious Party with its five Knesset seats. Three other parties to the right are contributing seven.

The ultra-Orthodox Flag of the Torah, which took two seats, is yet to be heard from. If Flag of the Torah backs Likud, Shamir’s majority could reach 65 seats.

There has been a growing public clamor for Labor and Likud to form a national unity government that would exclude religious parties from power. Many secular Israelis fear that the Orthodox influence will narrow intellectual and social life in Israel.

Saturday night, several thousand Israelis demonstrated in Tel Aviv in favor of a joint Likud-Labor government. They urged Shamir and Peres to reform Israel’s complex electoral system and call new elections.

Such a coalition is still possible. After a similarly inconclusive election in 1984, Labor and Likud joined forces after almost two months of multi-party wrangling.

In any case, all is not smooth sailing for Likud. It must now dole out ministries to competing and sometimes antagonistic coalition partners.

Who Will Get What

Shas is reportedly getting the Housing and Interior ministries. The Housing Ministry will be useful in relieving a shortage of homes among the often-destitute ultra-Orthodox. The Interior Ministry handles matters of marriage and divorce, which the ultra-Orthodox want to keep under religious authorization.

Agudat Israel is getting deputy minister posts in the Absorption and Labor ministries. Absorption handles immigration and would give the ultra-Orthodox influence in the question of which Jews are permitted free entry into Israel. Under the country’s Law of Return, all Jews from anywhere have the right to immigrate into Israel.

The National Religious Party may gain the Education Ministry.

Secular Prospects

Likud’s secular partners are also expecting Cabinet posts. At least one, the Tzomet (Crossroads) Party led by retired Gen. Rafael Eitan, has expressed reservations about serving in a government with heavy religious influence. Eitan has said he resents exemptions from army service granted to religious students.

There are also fierce rivalries within Likud. Former Gen. Ariel Sharon, minister of industry, is battling Moshe Arens, a former ambassador to the United States, for the post of defense minister.