Yahadut Hatorah negotiators on Monday 2 Rosh Chodesh Iyar completed their 13th negotiating session as talks towards signing a coalition agreement with Likud continue.

In recent days “significant progress” is being reported as Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is showing a willingness to undo some of the controversial changes in state religious services that were voted into law in the last administration, while the chareidi parties were in the opposition.

Kikar Shabbos News reports on Monday that after that bar mitzvah meeting an agreement in principle has been reached and in all likelihood, Yahadut Hatorah will soon be signing on to the new coalition. Unconfirmed reports signal Yaakov Litzman will serve as deputy health minister, Meir Porush as a deputy minister, most likely education, and Moshe Gafne as the chairman of the Knesset Finance Committee.

The sides are set to meet again on Tuesday 2 Iyar at noon, at which time the players hope agreement can be reached and possibly finalized.

Yahadut Hatorah officials report that when they are given a finalized document, they will present it to gedolei yisrael for final approval before signing. Porush met with the Sanzer Rebbe Shlita to update him on negotiations. On Sunday evening, Litzman met with the Belzer Rebbe Shlita to update him.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)