Shas appoints team to negotiate coalition deal; Labor MKs to discuss party's demands Thursday.
By SHELLY PAZLivni flirts 224.88(photo credit: AP)
As Kadima leader Tzipi Livni held a second round of coalition talks in her office on Wednesday with Labor Party chairman Ehud Barak, a top Labor minister expressed support for entering a Livni-led government.
Speaking to supporters at his home for a Rosh Hashana toast, Minister-without-Portfolio Ami Ayalon said he believed Labor should again join the coalition - but not an emergency unity government that would not promote the party's platform. The new government should work to advance crucial social and security reforms, Ayalon said.
Sources close to Livni said she and Barak discussed possible mechanisms for future cooperation on political and security issues, while Barak's aides said social issues such as the need to assist pensioners in Israel had been discussed.
Livni and Barak are to meet for a third time in the near future, and sources close to Barak said the Defense Minister was demanding full partnership in the government as well as veto power on several issues, such as Justice Minister Daniel Friedmann's court reforms and security-related issues.
Labor MKs are scheduled to gather in Tel Aviv Thursday morning to discuss the party's demands and to hear the positions of the party members regarding joining a Livni government.
Shas, meanwhile, appointed attorney David Glass, who is related to spiritual leader Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, and Yohanan Strassman, a former director-general of National Insurance Institute, to negotiate over a coalition agreement with Kadima.
Shas said it would not compromise on its demand for an additional sum of NIS 1 billion in child allotments as well as financial assistance for young couples purchasing their first apartments. It was agreed by both sides that politically divisive issues, such as splitting Jerusalem, would not be discussed by their representatives.
Livni representatives Yoram Raved and Yisrael Maimon met with Meretz chairman Haim Oron on Wednesday and invited his party join the coalition.
Meretz said in a statement afterwards that it would consider joining Livni's government on the basis of her intentions to continue the negotiations with Syria and the Palestinians, as well as her plans to tackle both economic and social challenges facing the country.
Since President Shimon Peres authorized Livni to form a new government on Sunday, she has met with the heads of Labor, Meretz, Shas, and the Gil Pensioners party.
Likud chairman Binyamin Netanyahu has declined invitations to talk to Livni, saying at a press conference on Tuesday that he"would not join the failing government." But on Wednesday, Netanyahu indicated he would meet Livni to tell her what he thinks she should do.
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