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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| Netanyahu turns to Lieberman to form Israel coalition |
| 2009-02-26 |
| JERUSALEM - Benjamin NetanyahuÂ’s hawkish Likud party launched talks on Wednesday with right-wing parties on forming IsraelÂ’s next government after he failed in initial efforts to enlist his main centrist rival in a broad coalition. Netanyahu, who has said he wants to shift the focus of Palestinian statehood talks from territorial to economic issues, was chosen on Friday by President Shimon Peres to try to form a government and become prime minister for the second time. Likud negotiators met officials of the ultranationalist Yisrael Beiteinu party of Avigdor Lieberman and other right-wing factions later near Tel Aviv on terms for political partnership in a governing coalition. A spokeswoman for Lieberman said he would push to secure either the defence, finance or foreign affairs portfolio for himself. She said the party also wants the justice and internal security portfolios. Yisrael Beiteinu, which came in third after the centrist Kadima party and the Likud in a Feb. 10 election, opposes Israeli withdrawal from the occupied West Bank. It advocates trading land in Israel where Arab citizens live for Jewish settlements in the West Bank in any peace deal with Palestinians and calls for all Israelis to take an oath of loyalty to the Jewish state. |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #3 Too true, Nico. Technically, Prime Minister Olmert, 3dc. Remember when Belgium's winning party couldn't form a government for months and months? The lame duck PM continued running things until it all was straightened out. I can't remember if it took another election to do so, or if the king tapped someone else in the end, or what, but it was utterly absurd. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2009-02-26 23:18 |
| #2 Who the hell knows who runs israel. Reminds me of the old joke: Two Jews, Three Opinions, Five Political Parties". |
| Posted by: Nico 2009-02-26 14:18 |
| #1 Just curious. Whom currently runs Israel? |
| Posted by: 3dc 2009-02-26 09:01 |