By JPOST.COM STAFF
"A national emergency government is necessary, this is not just a slogan," Defense Minister Ehud Barak said in a speech during a New Year toast at the Labor Party headquarters in Tel Aviv on Tuesday evening.
"I was happy to hear Tzipi call for a broad government. Two hours ago, opposition leader Binyamin Netanyahu publicly announced he would not join an emergency government. What a shame, this is a missed opportunity," Barak said.
Barak made it clear that he was interested in joining the coalition, but would not hesitate to go to elections if the various factions could not reach an agreement. "We will do everything to try and form a stable, functioning government. If we manage to reach true companionship this is what we'll do. If it doesn't work out, we have no fear of general elections," he said.
The defense minister went on to say that "the challenges are not simple, from Iran to a lone terrorist in Jerusalem. Achieving real, stable peace with the Palestinians will require great effort and a lot of responsibility. We will also work to return Gilad Schalit and every one of our missing sons."
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