News Brief

(IsraelNN.com) Ofer Eini, who heads the Histadrut national labor union, and Industrialists Union head Shraga Brosh, are mediating between Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Ehud Barak in an effort to coordinate moves blocking the Likud from returning to power. Among the ideas being discussed is a future unification between Kadima (which is headed by Olmert) and Labor (which is headed by Barak), and a possible rotation agreement between the two.

The rotation deal, according to Maariv, would let Olmert serve the first two-thirds of the next term of office as Prime Minister, assuming the unified party wins at the ballot box. In the final third of the term, the leadership of the party would be handed over to Barak.

Eini and Brosh, who are considered to be close allies, think such an agreement would prevent early elections, stabilize the political system, and block Netanyahu's way to the prime minister's office.