As the nation awaits the announcement from Premier-designate Binyamin Netanyahu that his coalition has been assembled, we learn that the incoming leader paid a visit to Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, who won the majority vote in the election by one seat, but was unable to assemble a coalition. The two, with their spouses, met in secret last week for almost five hours. The late meeting, which began at 11:30PM, was kept secret from everyone. Officials add that Netanyahu did not even make an entry of the meeting in his daily calendar as to ensure word did not leak out.
Despite all previous statements to the press and Kadima's insistence on remaining in the opposition, it now appears a rotation government is possible on the agenda, or at least, the possibility is meriting a modicum of discussion. Rather than enter into narrow coalition of 65, with Avigdor Lieberman serving as foreign minister, Netanyahu is now willing to entertain a rotation that would put him in the leadership seat for most of the four-year term and Kadima leader Tzipi Livni accepting the last portion of such a rotation.
According to "sources" close to the incoming prime minister, Netanyahu, a seasoned politician, realizes his current political realities do not exactly leave him with an ideal situation, explaining his majority in the 120-seat Knesset is marginal, his foreign minister may create a political stir with many national leaders, the Ichud HaLeumi Party's demands far exceed what they should for a small party, and from inside his own party, Silvan Shalom is working tenaciously to undermine Netanyahu's authority over not receiving the foreign ministry portfolio.
Netanyahu and Livni renewed contacts over a week ago, involving their most trusted faction members, who are working to see if a rotation is indeed a possibility, one that is preferable to the current narrow-based coalition. While there is an increased willingness towards cooperation, the two are far from closing a deal, with a sea of differences separating them, many pertaining to major issues.
Netanyahu, who has all but closed a deal with Shas also realizes moving towards Kadima now would have ramifications, and such actions would be perceived as betrayal of his right-wing supporters, especially Shas, which has proven a staunch political ally.
In the meantime, negotiating teams of Yisrael Beitenu and Likud are expecting to finalize an agreement today, Sunday, while a deal is not being completed with Yahadut HaTorah - reportedly due to the ongoing dispute between Moshe Gafne and Yaakov Litzman over who will head the Knesset Finance Committee. Netanyahu has told the chareidi party to work it out on its own and inform him of the decision, expressing a willingness to abide by the outcome.
In the meantime, Labor Party leader Ehud Barak is carefully monitoring developments between Likud and Kadima, aware progress on the coalition front would significantly assist his efforts to persuade party officials that Labor should also enter a broad-based coalition.
(Yechiel Spira - YWN Israel)
http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/article.php?p=31703
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