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World Jewish News
As coalition talks continue, Bibi fails to get firm NU backing
12.02.2009
Two days after Kadima leader Tzipi Livni and Likud chairman Binyamin Netanyahu each declared victory in Tuesday's election, the race against time to form a coalition continued, with Netanyahu meeting representatives of the National Union party in Jerusalem on Thursday.
Following the meeting, National Union chairman Ya'acov Katz said that it was possible that the party would not recommend to President Shimon Peres that Netanyahu build the coalition. Next week, Peres is expected to charge either Livni or Netanyahu with that role.
Netanyahu reiterated that he would form a coalition with Likud's natural partners, including the National Union, and only afterward turn to other parties.
National Union MK Aryeh Eldad told Israel Radio that the party would not commit to throwing its support behind Netanyahu.
"In the next few days, we will continue to monitor Netanyahu's declarations to see where he is headed," said Eldad.
Although the final results of the election are yet to be published, the National Union party is predicted to win four seats.
On Wednesday, senior officials from the two major parties had said that Likud and Kadima would be able to form a government together under the leadership of Netanyahu, on the basis of equality between the two parties. In addition, both Netanyahu and Livni met with the leader of what has become the third largest party, Israel Beiteinu's Avigdor Lieberman, in an attempt to woo him. However, Lieberman raised several demands that either prime ministerial candidate would have a hard time accepting.
Meanwhile, Livni met with outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Thursday for the first time since Tuesday's election, and Kadima sources said that the party leader may ask her predecessor to help with coalition talks.
Also Thursday, Interior Minister Meir Sheetrit, of Kadima, said that the party would not sit in a far right-wing coalition.
"We are making every effort to build a coalition led by Tzipi Livni," he told Army Radio, stressing, however, that if the party doesn't succeed in doing so, it will not sit in a right-wing government led by Binyamin Netanyahu simply to be its moderate voice.
Sheetrit indicated that if Livni is not entrusted with forming a coalition, Kadima may sit in the opposition.
"We will only join a Netanyahu government if it's not extreme Right," he said. "If Kadima were to enter such a coalition, it would get destroyed. We are not afraid of sitting in the opposition. A right-wing government will not advance peace and so [joining such a coalition] is out of the question."
Gil Hoffman contributed to this report.
Источник: JPost.com
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