Netanyahu endorsed for Israel PM'ship

[Saddle Bronc 124]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/...-Israel-PM.html

Benjamin Netanyahu endorsed as Israel PM

By Dina Kraft in Tel Aviv

2009/02/19 15:27 GMT

Benjamin Netanyahu, the leader of Israel's Right-wing Likud party, has won the endorsement of Israel's 'kingmaker' in a crucial step towards becoming prime minister.

Avigdor Lieberman, the leader of the ultra-nationalist Yisrael Beiteinu party, formally recommended that President Shimon Peres send for Mr Netanyahu and make him prime minister. Consequently, Israel may soon have a hardline, Right-wing government that may prove an exceptionally difficult partner for America's new administration.

Mr Lieberman, who won the balance of power in the Knesset, or parliament, in the general election on Feb 10, had been careful to maximise his bargaining power. Having thrown his weight behind the Likud leader, he will almost certainly be rewarded with a senior cabinet post in the new government, possibly the finance ministry.

During a meeting with Mr Peres, Mr Lieberman said: “We are recommending Benjamin Netanyahu only in the framework of a broad government. There must be a government of the three large parties, Likud, Kadima, Yisrael Beiteinu.”

But shortly afterwards Tzipi Livni, the foreign minister and Mr Netanyahu’s rival for the premiership, told her Kadima party that she would go into opposition, thwarting the creation of a broad coalition government. “We must be an alternative of hope and go into opposition,” she said.

Both the Likud leader and Mr Lieberman had hoped to have her on board. He had said that that both Miss Livni and Mr Netanyahu, who is popularly known as “Bibi”, should be willing to compromise in the interests of the country.

Miss Livni, who came first in the election with 28 seats in the 120-seat Knesset, had proposed a “rotating premiership” whereby she and Mr Netanyahu, who came second with 27 seats, would take it in turns to be prime minister for two years each.

“Bibi has to get used to talk of a broad government and not a narrow government, and Tzipi has to get used to there not being rotation,” said Mr Lieberman before his rebuff from the Kadima leader.

Instead, Mr Netanyahu is left with the prospect of being the most moderate member of a government of the hard Right.

He risks being seen as the key obstacle to any progress towards peace with the Palestinians as a narrow, Right-wing Israeli government would probably have difficult relations with President Barack Obama’s administration, an outcome that Mr Netanyahu is especially anxious to avoid.

Miss Livni’s decision leaves Mr Netanyahu at the helm of hardline government which would, at best, face paralysis over progress towards a peace settlement.

“Kadima won’t be the fig leaf for a government of paralysis,” said Miss Livni.

Earlier, in a note sent to Ehud Olmert, the caretaker prime minister, Miss Livni made clear that she would not serve under Mr Netanyahu.

After Mr Lieberman’s decision, President Peres may now formally invite Mr Netanyahu to form a coalition. If the Likud leader achieves this within 28 days, he will become prime minister.

Dhanyawaad/shukria/danke/merci, Avi!

[Saddle Bronc 124]

It's official now, as Peres has asked Bibi to form the gov

Netanyahu to form Israel cabinet

Benjamin Netanyahu, the leader of the right-of-centre Likud party, has been asked to form Israel's next government.

Mr Netanyahu said Israel faced "great challenges" including the global economic crisis and what he said was Iran's wish to obtain nuclear weapons.

He said he would try to form a unity government with his political rivals.

But Tzipi Livni, leader of the centrist Kadima, has suggested she would rather be in opposition than join a government led by Mr Netanyahu.

Kadima narrowly defeated Likud in the election held on 10 February, but Mr Netanyahu has the support of religious and right-wing parties in the Israeli parliament.

President Shimon Peres and Mr Netanyahu held a news conference to officially announce the move and the Likud leader now has six weeks to put together a coalition.

He told the news conference he wanted to open talks with his political rivals to form a "broad national unity government for the good of the people and the state".

He said: "I call on Kadima chairwoman Tzipi Livni and Labour Party chairman Ehud Barak and I say to them - let's unite to secure the future of the State of Israel."

On Iran, Mr Netanyahu returned to a key campaign theme, suggesting that Tehran had emerged as Israel's greatest security threat.

The Islamic Republic was seeking to develop nuclear weapons, he said, as well as sponsoring the Hezbollah and Hamas militant groups in Lebanon and Gaza.

'Pawn'

The BBC's diplomatic correspondent, Jonathan Marcus, says the decision to choose Mr Netanyahu marks the beginning of a period of serious horse-trading.

He says Mr Netanyahu will have a real job on his hands - either to persuade Ms Livni to join his government, or to reconcile the differences among the various factions on the right.

Minutes before the news came out that the Likud leader would be asked to form a government, Ms Livni said what was being proposed was a government "without political vision, a government with no values".

"I will not be a pawn in a government that would be against our ideals," she said.

One of the main points of contention between the two parties is how to handle the Palestinian territories.

Ms Livni favours more talks and the creation of a separate state for the Palestinians.

Mr Netanyahu says he does not want Israel to rule the Palestinians, but says they should not be allowed things he considers a threat to Israeli security, such as an army, or control of airspace or the Jordan Valley.

Mr Netanyahu's position was bolstered on Thursday when the far-right Yisrael Beiteinu party, which favours tightening the Israeli blockade on Gaza, said it wanted him to be prime minister.

[Yoink 7]

Livni would have been a better fit for European and US goals in the region, however Bibi, although more hawkish and right wing, will be strong. The more pressing worry is that key members of the government will be right-wing because of the coalition factor in creating a government in Israeli politics.

His brother Benjamin was a national hero who died in the raid on entebbe.

[almaty 19]

wasn't he involved in a scandal in the past???

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Livni would have been a better fit for European and US goals in the region

Which oft are detached from ground-reality.

however Bibi, although more hawkish and right wing, will be strong.

as he knows ground reality, and doesn't aim to please foreign governments

The more pressing worry is that key members of the government will be right-wing because of the coalition factor in creating a government in Israeli politics.

His brother Benjamin was a national hero who died in the raid on entebbe.

Another worry is the almost-inevitable coalition-squabble as happens in Whitehall-style systems (especially India; Israel has not been immune to it)

wasn't he involved in a scandal in the past???

He is confessed as adulterer, and on second marriage.

(but the US has had FDR, Ike, JFK and Clinton in WH--so you were saying?)

[almaty 19]

no issue there for allot of politicians./..i remember at the time allot of folks were grumpy with him