UTJ gives Olmert final no on joining coalition

United Torah Judaism on Wednesday permanently ended the coalition talks with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's aides that stretched almost a year, deciding not to join the coalition. They sent Olmert a harshly-worded letter criticizing him for not honoring previous commitments to the haredi sector. Olmert's associates said they were disappointed that UTJ would remain in the opposition and that now they would begin a new effort to strengthen the current coalition.