Kadima-Labor deal anticipated today

Kadima negotiating team head Hanegbi engages in all-night shuttle diplomacy between Livni and Barak.

By GIL STERN STERN HOFFMAN, JPOST.COM STAFF
livni smug kadima 224 88 aj (photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimksi [file])
livni smug kadima 224 88 aj
(photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimksi [file])
Kadima leader Tzipi Livni is expected to complete an important step en route to forming a new government early Monday morning, with a deal anticipated between Kadima and its largest coalition partner, Labor. The head of Kadima's negotiating team, MK Tzahi Hanegbi, engaged in late-night shuttle diplomacy for the second night in a row between Livni's home in Tel Aviv's Ramat Hahayil neighborhood and Labor chairman Ehud Barak's penthouse in the city's Akirov Towers. "Tonight's the night," Hanegbi had told The Jerusalem Post on Sunday. "If there is no agreement tonight, there won't be a deal at all." Hanegbi said it was possible that Livni and Barak would meet early Monday morning to finalize the agreement. According to a draft proposal submitted by Kadima to Labor on Sunday, Barak will not receive any of what he demanded when the coalition-building process began three weeks ago. Barak will not receive nearly equal footing with Livni at the head of the government, he won't head Israel's negotiating team with Syria, Justice Minister Daniel Friedmann will keep his position, and the framework of the 2009 state budget won't be expanded. Instead, Barak will be promoted from deputy prime minister to the new title of "senior deputy prime minister." He will be involved in the negotiations with Damascus and will be able to prevent issues from being raised in the security cabinet. Labor will be able to prevent the advancement of Friedmann's judicial reforms and a limited sum will be allocated to two of Labor's pet causes, raising senior citizens' benefits and lowering university tuition. Nevertheless, Barak instructed the members of his coalition-negotiating team to reach a deal with Kadima on Sunday night before he leaves on Monday for a three-day vacation in the Galilee. "We are acting with an open mind and a willing soul to reach an agreement on a new government," Barak told Labor ministers Sunday morning. "The good of the public requires a stable government for the long-term that will be able to deal determinedly with the national challenges facing us on every issue, especially the economic crisis." Livni showed a similar commitment to wrap up a deal in private conversations with Kadima and Labor politicians. She reportedly warned Barak privately that if an agreement were not reached before the Succot holiday began on Monday evening, she would seriously consider initiating early elections. "The good of the public requires a quick resolution," Livni said in a speech to the Kadima council at the party's Petah Tikva headquarters. "I'm leading the coalition-building in my way: quietly, without political spins, dramas and mutual recriminations, so that everyone will end up being satisfied." Livni called on Likud chairman Binyamin Netanyahu to join her government due to the international economic crisis. She warned him that his voters would object to the Likud remaining in the opposition while Israel was facing so many challenges. "Forming a government as wide as possible is the right thing to do," Livni said. "The public won't forgive whoever decides to violate unity, not join the government and cause an election at such a time." Likud faction chairman Gideon Sa'ar accused Livni of trying to take advantage of the economic crisis for political gain. "Instead of speaking in the name of the public, Livni should request the trust of the public via general elections," Sa'ar said. "Holding on for another few months with a collapsing coalition will not help the country face the economic and security challenges ahead." Following an agreement with Labor, Livni is expected to try to work out a coalition deal with the Pensioners' Party, Meretz and Shas. She received a boost when three MKs who broke off from the Pensioners' Party announced that they were on the way back into the coalition via a parliamentary cooperation deal with Labor.