Following yesterday’s general election, apparently won by Kadima leader Tzipi Livni but in which the right-wing bloc emerged as the largest, coalition talks started swiftly, with Likud chairman Binyamin Netanyahu meeting with Shas leader Eli Yishai, and Livni holding talks with Israel Beiteinu leader Avigdor Lieberman. This afternoon, following his meeting with Netanyahu, Yishai stated that he would not rule out sitting in a Likud-led government including the Yisroel Beiteinu party.
Yishai noted that, “In the past, there have been more extreme combinations.” Yishai and Netanyahu agreed to work for the establishment of a broad coalition based on the nationalist camp. “Every party has its values, we will reach the stage in which every one will have his say,” he said.
Netanyahu also met with Rabbi Yaakov Litzman of Yahadus HaTorah-UTJ in an effort to put together a coalition government.
Yishai was also scheduled to meet with Shaul Mufaz, No. 2 on the Kadima list.
This morning, Kadima stated that the Shas chairman had spoken with Livni overnight and did not rule out sitting in a government led by Kadima.
“Everything is possible and worth discussing,” Yishai said, even though before the election he had stated that Shas would only support Netanyahu for prime minister.
Shas denied the report by Kadima and said it was a political spin by the ruling party.
However, Yishai told Army Radio that while he did not rule out a wide government, he had made a commitment to recommend to President Shimon Peres that Netanyahu build a coalition.
“The people [of Israel] have decided on a right-wing government, but this does not mean the government can’t be wider. In public service everyone speaks with everyone in an effort to look into all the possibilities,” he said.
{Yair Alpert-Matzav.com Israel}
