Interior Minister Eli Yishai of Shas says there is no escaping the reality of an Arab state in Judea and Samaria (Yehudah and Shomron). Speaking this week with Arutz Sheva's Hebrew news service, Yishai said, “Regarding a Palestinian state – it already exists, unfortunately.” "[At this point] the only debate is about the borders,” he added. Despite his statement, Yishai insisted that Israel cannot negotiate with the Palestinian Authority at this time. “We cannot conduct a dialogue with Abu Mazen [PA Chairman Abbas – ed.] when Hamas then comes and conquers the territory,” he said. “We saw what happened in Gush Katif.” The solution, he said, is the “economic peace” plan promoted by several Israeli leaders, among them Yishai and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. The plan aims to stabilize the PA economically and politically before making territorial concessions. Yishai declined to delineate his party's stance on “final status” issues or the “red lines” that, if crossed, would lead Shas to leave the government. “When Bibi [Netanyahu] decides what he wants to do, then we will decide. At this point there are no specific plans in any case,” he explained. Yishai had a similar response to questions regarding Hamas's demand that Israel release some 1,450 terrorists from prison in exchange for kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit. “When we get to the negotiating table, we'll decide... When we see the deal, we'll bring it to the rabbi to get his decision.” He categorically denied accusations that Shas has failed to act on issues important to its religious Zionist voters. Shas is actively involved in fighting for funding for religious-Zionist education and in absorbing new immigrants in its schools, he said.
