Livni all set to form Unity Govt
Aspiring to become the first woman Premier of Israel in over three decades, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni on Tuesday stepped up efforts to cobble up a national unity government by roping in major parties after President Shimon Peres asked her to form a coalition.
The Labour party leadership showed willingness to join 50-year-old Livni’s coalition with its Chairman Ehud Barak congratulating her for being tapped by the President to form a government after the graft-tainted Premier Ehud Olmert resigned on Sunday.
Sources close to the Labour leader said Barak, also Defence Minister, would try to extract asmany concessions as possible on the socio-economic issues before agreeing to join the coalition.
“We will introduce changes to the budget, and then we would be able to continue,” a closeaide to Barak said.
Right-wing Shas party also put some demands for joining the coalition but analysts believe that Livni would be able to secure majority support in Parliament because of the fear among many parties thathardliner former Premier Benjamin Netanyahu will gain fromsnap poll at their cost.
The Foreign Minister last eveningcalled on all parties to join hands in a unity government, including Netanyahu’s Likud party.
“There are great diplomatic and economic challenges facing it. The first priority that is right for Israel is a government that will serve to the end of the current term, in late 2010,” she said.