Desparate moves
I suppose that when you're a political party without any ideology it's much easier to change your colors.I already told you at the beginning of the week that in his desparation to retain power, Ehud Olmert was seeking to expand his 'coalition' by adding Avigdor Lieberman's Yisrael Beiteinu party and its eleven Knesset seats. Of course, this might cost him the Labor party, but Lieberman is much more popular now anyway - surveys show that if there were elections now, the Likud is the only party that would finish ahead of Yisrael Beiteinu.
Labor is trying to thwart Olmert's coalition expansion. Labor's nominal leader, Defense Minister
"This is a case of transparent and obvious political spin," an Olmert associate said. "It is clear why he has [issued the order] now. Peretz has ordered the removal of outposts before, but it cannot happen without the approval of the prime minister and there is no chance that it will happen in the next week."The same article also has a couple of choice quotes:
Lieberman has made a freeze in removing outposts one of his conditions for joining the coalition. Sources in the Prime Minister's Office revealed that negotiations between Olmert and Lieberman have continued at the highest level by telephone while Lieberman is abroad.
Labor MKs said they were frightened at the prospect of strategic planning for the Iranian threat being put in the hands of Lieberman, who made headlines in 2001 by suggesting that Israel should bomb Teheran.If Lieberman actually said that, he sounds like a prophet to me. In 2001, it could have been done and likely would have worked. Today, it could possibly be done, but it's questionable whether it would stop Iran's nuclear program.
MK Ami Ayalon, who intends to run against Peretz in May's party primary, said that in return for Lieberman joining the coalition, Peretz should ask Olmert to accept Labor's red lines on the 2007 state budget, to negotiate with Syria and to present a diplomatic plan to replace the realignment plan that has been shelved.What a country we live in! Our national security is subject to political horse trading along with the state budget! Bring on the pork!
Olmert met Labor faction chairman Ephraim Sneh and MK Ghaleb Majadle on Thursday, seeking their support for Lieberman's addition to the cabinet. Sneh said he warned the prime minister that Lieberman's addition would prevent the government from fulfilling its objectives and the promises he made to Labor when the government was formed.Sneh needs to get with the program. The objective is to stay in power for the full term allowed by law. Nothing more and nothing less. Objectives? Promises?
Channel 2 revealed on Thursday night that Lieberman attempted to convince Likud chairman Binyamin Netanyahu to join the coalition along with him. But Netanyahu canceled a meeting with Lieberman set for last Friday when he heard that he was in contact with Kadima about joining the coalition.And they accuse Netanyahu of not having principles....
Netanyahu's office confirmed the report, but Lieberman released a statement saying "I don't know of such a meeting and there is no meeting planned."I believe Netanyahu.
A Dahaf poll published in Yediot Aharonot on Thursday found that the Likud and Israel Beiteinu would be the two largest parties if elections were held today, with 22 and 20 mandates respectively. Kadima and Labor would each receive 15 seats, according to the poll.I don't care much for Shalom, but he may be right about this.
Netanyahu's Likud rival, MK Silvan Shalom, said he believed that Lieberman's goal in joining the coalition was to "assassinate" Netanyahu politically by enabling Olmert's coalition to last longer while Netanyahu languishes in the desert of the opposition.
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 8:46 PM
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