 |
|
A "narrow government …would survive only for a few months," says Lieberman
|
OCCUPIED
JERUSALEM, Nov 3 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Negotiations
for the formation of a narrow right-wing government will start Sunday,
November 3, when delegates representing Israeli Prime Minister Ariel
Sharon meet with members of the National Union-Yisrael Beiteinu faction.
Sources
in the right-wing faction said that it was unlikely the National
Union-Yisrael Beiteinu would join the coalition if the government's
policy toward the Palestinians remains unchanged, Israeli Army Radio
reported.
Sharon
is also due to meet with former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu on
Sunday to discuss an offer to become foreign minister in a new, narrow
coalition alignment, reported the Israeli Ha’aretz daily on its
web site.
Political
insiders from both the Likud and Labor Party doubt that Sharon's bid to
create a narrow government will bear fruit.
Those
close to Sharon believe that a right-leaning government would tarnish
the prime minister's stature as a statesman, which he cultivated under
the unity government.
As
a result, they believe Sharon should move to arrange early elections
now.
After
meeting with National Union-Yisrael Beiteinu officials, Sharon's bureau
chief Dov Weisglass and Cabinet Secretary Gideon Sa'ar are expected to
meet later this week with delegates from other parties, including
Shinui, Herut, Gesher and One People, the paper said.
Sharon
intends to listen to the terms set by these parties in talks regarding
their possible inclusion in a new coalition, sources close to Sharon
said Saturday, November 2.
However,
"one thing must be clear," they said. "Sharon is not
considering the possibility of altering the government's policy
guidelines.
"Nor
does he have any intention of opening up the budget framework and
surrendering to the sectarian demands of various parties" in order
to get their support for the budget's second and third Knesset readings.
Top
Likud politicians said last night that current contacts regarding a
narrow coalition are designed mainly to prevent the collapse of the
government in tomorrow's three no-confidence votes submitted by Meretz,
Shinui, Hadash and the Arab parties.
Sharon
is simply trying to "kill time" for a week or two, before
announcing a decision to stage early elections, the Likud sources said.
"In
his second and final term, Sharon intends to attain peace with the
Palestinians, and this will include a Palestinian state," they
said.
"Even
were it to be for a short time, his leadership of a narrow government
would damage him and also hurt the national interest."
Though
Avigdor Lieberman
will bring a set of demands at Sunday's meeting with Sharon's
representatives, the National Union-Yisrael Beiteinu leader has
indicated he does not harbor much hope for a narrow government.
Such
a government, Lieberman said over the weekend, would survive only for a
few months; the time has come to schedule an agreed-upon date for
elections.
Sharon
has declared that he wants to avoid early elections on the grounds that
the "time is not right for them."
He
has said that he wants to establish a "functioning government"
that would survive until the scheduled date for elections, October 28,
2003.
Sources
close to Sharon and Netanyahu, said this weekend that Netanyahu is
likely to reject Sharon's offer to become foreign minister in a new,
narrow coalition alignment.
"Enlisting
Bibi Netanyahu's talents to this cause could strengthen the government,
given the challenges we face," Sharon said at the start of Sunday's
weekly cabinet meeting.
A
confidant of Netanyahu, Sharon's main rival in the ruling rightist Likud
party, said Netanyahu was "not enthused at the prospect of playing
second fiddle to Sharon."
Netanyahu
and Sharon met Friday, November 1, at the prime minister's Sycamore
Ranch.
Sharon
proposed that Netanyahu join the government based on its current policy
guidelines.
Netanyahu
replied that he wants to wait and see whether Sharon manages to
establish an alternative government capable of functioning effectively.
Netanyahu
called for a fundamental change in the government's economic policies
and asked about the policy orientation of a new, narrow government:
What, Netanyahu asked Sharon, would be the government's position
regarding a Palestinian state? What stance would it take with respect
both to PA Chairman Yasser Arafat, and to the "roadmap" plan
proposed by the U.S. President George W. Bush's administration? Sharon
replied that the government will remain committed to Bush's initiative,
which includes consent to a Palestinian state.
Those
close to Netanyahu called Sharon's Foreign Ministry portfolio offer a
"transparent trick" designed to compromise the former prime
minister.
On
the eve of Likud primaries, Netanyahu cannot afford to join the
government and accept a subordinate role to Sharon, they said.
In
contrast, sources close to Sharon said Saturday that Netanyahu's refusal
to join a right-wing coalition would contradict his long-standing
position.
"Netanyahu
always spoke about how the Likud needs to run matters alone - and now,
when they're offering him a chance as foreign minister, without Labor,
he refuses," they said.
Meanwhile,
as the resignation letters of Labor ministers went into effect Saturday,
no contacts between Labor and Likud were staged over the weekend.
On
Saturday, sources close to Sharon bitterly attacked Labor Party Chairman
Benjamin Ben-Eliezer, who led last week's moves that culminated in the
collapse of the unity government.
"It's
hard to imagine a degree of cynicism and irresponsibility greater than
what Fuad [Ben-Eliezer] displayed," the Sharon aides said.
Ben-Eliezer
said Saturday that he plans this week to submit a no-confidence motion
against the government when an official report on poverty in Israel is
released.
Sharon
met Friday with U.S. Ambassador to Israel Daniel Kurtzer and presented
his main policy directions following the unity government's collapse.
He
emphasized that while the new government will have a different
composition, its guidelines will not change.
Sharon
promised that Israel will abide by all understandings and agreements it
has with the United States.
