After talks with PM, Shas leader says no to backing pullout

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Shas Chairman Eli Yishai said afternoon that the ultra-Orthodox party will not back Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's disengagement plan when it comes to a vote in the Knesset next week, Israel Radio reported.
But Yishai, who made the announcement after talks with Sharon, said that the party's spiritual leader, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, was still undecided whether he would tell Shas MKs to abstain from the vote on the plan to withdraw from the entire Gaza Strip and evacuate four settlements in the northern West Bank.

Sharon had concentrated his efforts on Shas in the hope of ensuring a majority for the Knesset vote. Sharon's aides were also trying Thursday to persuade the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism party to abstain in the vote.

While Sharon appears to have a majority among the Knesset members even without Shas, he would like an overwhelming majority of support from a broad spectrum of parties - a move that would strengthen his public and political standing for the future.

Haaretz