It has been three months since negotiations have begun between Degel Hatorah and Shlomei Emunim and Beit Shemesh Mayor Moshe Abutbul. The sides are trying to reach agreement by which Degel and Shlomei would back Abutbul in the upcoming municipal elections. In the sides fail to reach agreement, it is likely they will run their own candidates instead of the chareidim uniting behind one candidate, in this case Abutbul, who is running for a third term.

They have now issued an ultimatum to Abutbul, hoping to compel a response, one way or the other.

According to a BeChadrei Chareidim report, on Thursday morning 5 Elul, a meeting took place between Degel and Shlomei Emunim in Beit Shemesh, a meeting that lasted four hours, addressing the lack of progress in negotiations with Abutbul.

At the end of the meeting, the delegates issued a joint statement saying, “We expect intensive negotiations with Mayor Abutbul. The mayor bears no less public responsibility than we do for the future of the city. We expect meaningful and fair negotiations based on our [electoral] strength.”

The representatives added an ultimatum to Moshe Abutbul, saying that “if the negotiations don’t yield progress in the short term, there will be a joint meeting of the local representatives with the Knesset members of the factions, at which time operational decisions will be made”.

At the end of the meeting, the representatives said, “As far as we are concerned, all options remain open. Abutbul did not sign with anyone and he has not presented us with any agreement”.

As reported by YWN-Israel, the talks address many issues, and the demands made by the two factions are considerable, but according to them, to date, Abutbul has remained vague in his response.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)