Israel’s Religious Affairs Ministry may close to resolve a coalition crisis that threatens the passage of Israel’s 2004 budget. National Religious Party Minister Yitzhak Levy is scheduled to submit a plan for dismantling the ministry in order to pave the way for a vote in favor of the proposed budget by the secularist Shinui Party. Shinui’s five ministers voted against the budget last week after the Prime Minister’s office reneged on its promise to dismantle the Religious Affairs Ministry. The NRP will probably agree to transfer departments from the ministry to other government offices and decrease the number of religious councils to 15 from 130, Israeli Army Radio reported. In return, the NRP likely will demand that certain religious practices become Israeli law, the Jerusalem Post reported.
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