JERUSALEM - Israeli Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu and centrist leader Tzipi Livni have renewed contacts to explore the option of forging a joint government, Israeli media reports said on Friday.Livni's Kadima party had called off talks for a possible coalition with Netanyahu earlier this month after Livni accused him of not being committed to pursuing a U.S.-sponsored vision of a Palestinian state alongside Israel.
| Since Netanyahu isn't interested in having his country commit collective suicide ... |
The Ynet news Web site said both Netanyahu and Livni were privy to behind-the-scenes contacts held by respective party members with the goal of exploring whether there was room to renew coalition talks.
The latest reports of contacts for a possible union came as Netanyahu was reported to be facing obstacles in his efforts to forge a coalition with far-right and religious parties some of whose representatives were making contradictory demands.
Netanyahu, who served as prime minister from 1996 to 1999, faces an April 3 deadline to form a government, after having been named by President Shimon Peres last month to build a coalition following a parliamentary election held on Feb. 10. Peres chose Netanyahu although Livni's Kadima party had outpolled Likud by one seat, 28 to 27, because he appeared to have the most potential political allies with whom to form a government.
But disputes over cabinet posts, demands by ultra-right parties for a tougher stance on peacemaking and by religious factions for larger budgets, have threatened to diminish Netanyahu's support from a promised 65 lawmakers to possibly just a threadbare majority in the 120-member parliament.
Netanyahu was also seen as interested in an alliance with Livni to avoid colliding with the Obama administration's goal of pursuing diplomacy and seeking Palestinian statehood. Netanyahu wants contacts with the Palestinians to focus on economic and security issues rather than territory, a concept Palestinian leaders reject.
| The Paleos are pretty much going to reject everything that comes out of any new Israeli government, so you might as well put something together and not worry whether the Paleos think well of you. Netanyahu has the best chance of scaring the Paleos which is a good reason to make him PM. |
| He's best off not worrying about what Carter II: the Obamination thinks, as well. |