After a meeting on Friday between the two men, Lieberman told reporters that if he decides to accept a deal with Olmert’s coalition, final talks over the five conditions he set for joining the government could take less than two hours. He also said the agreement could be made even without a final decision on ministry portfolios. "That is not on the agenda," he said.
“If there are negotiations on our entry into the government and we decide that we want to join, it will take an hour or two,” said Lieberman on Sunday. The first hurdle, he said, would be decided when he presents a proposal to the Knesset for a change in the government structure. Olmert has agreed to back the legislation at its first reading.
Yisrael Beiteinu’s Five Conditions for Joining the Coalition
Lieberman set a total of five conditions for joining Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s rapidly weakening Kadima-led coalition:
1) Changing the form of the government to direct elections and writing a constitution;
2) Establishing a state commission of inquiry to look into the alleged mismanagement of the recent war with Hizbullah terrorists in southern Lebanon;
3) Officially ending Olmert’s “convergence” (unilateral withdrawal) plan;
4) Revoking the orders to destroy illegal outposts; and
5) Passing a law that would allow civil marriage.
Moving to Direct Elections, Writing a Constitution
Olmert agreed in a meeting with the Yisrael Beitenu chairman on Friday to support Lieberman when he moves to forward a bill in the Knessset to create a constitution and restructure the current system of government.
Opposition to the measure is already rising. Minister of Science, Culture and Sports and Labor Knesset member Ophir Pines-Paz opposed Lieberman’s plan to change the electoral system. “The earlier attempt to change the form of government to direct elections failed,” he said. “The results were the opposite of its goals.” He added that the problem with the system involves the people, rather than the government structure itself.
Meretz party chairwoman Zahava Gal-On also weighed in on the issue, calling Lieberman’s initiative to change the form of government “dangerous to democracy.”
Establish a State Commission of Inquiry
Along with numerous IDF reservists and politicians across the political spectrum, Lieberman has called for the establishment of a state commission of inquiry to investigate charges of mismanagement of the recent war with Hizbullah terrorists in southern Lebanon.
Olmert has until now refused to do so, although last week the Supreme Court demanded a formal explanation from the government as to why, in response to a petition by the Movement for Quality Government.
Shortly after the end of the war the Prime Minister said in a speech to the nation, delivered in the Katyusha-battered port city of Haifa, that such a commission – which would have the power to recommend the dismissal of government ministers and IDF commanders – was “not what the nation needs.”
End to Olmert’s “Convergence” Plan
Olmert will also have to officially and permanently put to rest the idea of a unilateral withdrawal plan if he wants Lieberman join forces and strengthen the wavering coalition government.
Such a move would inspire little opposition, however, even from within Olmert’s own Kadima party. Several Kadima members including Olmert himself have stated recently that unilateral disengagement is no longer relevant at this time.
Olmert received a great deal of support for the statement across the political spectrum, including Knesset members from his own party who initially voted for the plan.
A few Kadima MKs even went on record, including MK David Tal, formerly of Shas and Labor-One Nation, who said that in light of the two-front war forced upon Israel, "there is nothing to talk about now regarding further expulsions and unilateral moves. The whole idea of unilateralism has been shown to be worthless."
Vice Prime Minister Shimon Peres, too, agreed that Olmert's unilateral withdrawal plan would likely not be occurring in the near future - and possibly not at all. Speaking with American Jews in New York last August, Peres said that the war in Lebanon "lowered the chances" for a unilateral Disengagement-like retreat from Judea and Samaria.
Illegal Outposts – Another ‘Central’ Issue
On Sunday morning, Olmert reiterated his opposition to Lieberman’s demands on the issue of illegal outposts as well. “He is against evacuating outposts, which is one of the most central issues for us. This is something that we brought to the cabinet... For us, this is a [main plank of our] platform.
“We are insisting that this government, this very government, evacuate illegal outposts and stop the process so that no new outposts are established in the future.”
Yisrael Beitenu Knesset member Esterina Tartman responded by saying the issue of illegal outposts is equally important to her party.
“Our debate with them is over what is illegal. If some neighborhood or other is enlarged and someone in some court prefers to define it that way, while a legal expert at a different level describes it differently, the issue is open to interpretation.”
Civil Marriage Law
In a move which appears to cater to the party’s almost entirely Russian immigrant constituency, Yisrael Beitenu’s demands also include passage of a law allowing civil marriage. At present, marriages are performed only with permission of the State Rabbinate.
The Sephardic religious party Shas has voiced strong opposition to such a law and threatened that any such legislation would require agreement of the entire coalition in order to pass.
Tartman, however, said she believes an agreement can be reached with Shas on this issue.
“If there are negotiations on our entry into the government and we decide that we want to join, it will take an hour or two,” said Lieberman on Sunday. The first hurdle, he said, would be decided when he presents a proposal to the Knesset for a change in the government structure. Olmert has agreed to back the legislation at its first reading.
Yisrael Beiteinu’s Five Conditions for Joining the Coalition
Lieberman set a total of five conditions for joining Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s rapidly weakening Kadima-led coalition:
1) Changing the form of the government to direct elections and writing a constitution;
2) Establishing a state commission of inquiry to look into the alleged mismanagement of the recent war with Hizbullah terrorists in southern Lebanon;
3) Officially ending Olmert’s “convergence” (unilateral withdrawal) plan;
4) Revoking the orders to destroy illegal outposts; and
5) Passing a law that would allow civil marriage.
Moving to Direct Elections, Writing a Constitution
Olmert agreed in a meeting with the Yisrael Beitenu chairman on Friday to support Lieberman when he moves to forward a bill in the Knessset to create a constitution and restructure the current system of government.
Opposition to the measure is already rising. Minister of Science, Culture and Sports and Labor Knesset member Ophir Pines-Paz opposed Lieberman’s plan to change the electoral system. “The earlier attempt to change the form of government to direct elections failed,” he said. “The results were the opposite of its goals.” He added that the problem with the system involves the people, rather than the government structure itself.
Meretz party chairwoman Zahava Gal-On also weighed in on the issue, calling Lieberman’s initiative to change the form of government “dangerous to democracy.”
Establish a State Commission of Inquiry
Along with numerous IDF reservists and politicians across the political spectrum, Lieberman has called for the establishment of a state commission of inquiry to investigate charges of mismanagement of the recent war with Hizbullah terrorists in southern Lebanon.
Olmert has until now refused to do so, although last week the Supreme Court demanded a formal explanation from the government as to why, in response to a petition by the Movement for Quality Government.
Shortly after the end of the war the Prime Minister said in a speech to the nation, delivered in the Katyusha-battered port city of Haifa, that such a commission – which would have the power to recommend the dismissal of government ministers and IDF commanders – was “not what the nation needs.”
End to Olmert’s “Convergence” Plan
Olmert will also have to officially and permanently put to rest the idea of a unilateral withdrawal plan if he wants Lieberman join forces and strengthen the wavering coalition government.
Such a move would inspire little opposition, however, even from within Olmert’s own Kadima party. Several Kadima members including Olmert himself have stated recently that unilateral disengagement is no longer relevant at this time.
Olmert received a great deal of support for the statement across the political spectrum, including Knesset members from his own party who initially voted for the plan.
A few Kadima MKs even went on record, including MK David Tal, formerly of Shas and Labor-One Nation, who said that in light of the two-front war forced upon Israel, "there is nothing to talk about now regarding further expulsions and unilateral moves. The whole idea of unilateralism has been shown to be worthless."
Vice Prime Minister Shimon Peres, too, agreed that Olmert's unilateral withdrawal plan would likely not be occurring in the near future - and possibly not at all. Speaking with American Jews in New York last August, Peres said that the war in Lebanon "lowered the chances" for a unilateral Disengagement-like retreat from Judea and Samaria.
Illegal Outposts – Another ‘Central’ Issue
On Sunday morning, Olmert reiterated his opposition to Lieberman’s demands on the issue of illegal outposts as well. “He is against evacuating outposts, which is one of the most central issues for us. This is something that we brought to the cabinet... For us, this is a [main plank of our] platform.
“We are insisting that this government, this very government, evacuate illegal outposts and stop the process so that no new outposts are established in the future.”
Yisrael Beitenu Knesset member Esterina Tartman responded by saying the issue of illegal outposts is equally important to her party.
“Our debate with them is over what is illegal. If some neighborhood or other is enlarged and someone in some court prefers to define it that way, while a legal expert at a different level describes it differently, the issue is open to interpretation.”
Civil Marriage Law
In a move which appears to cater to the party’s almost entirely Russian immigrant constituency, Yisrael Beitenu’s demands also include passage of a law allowing civil marriage. At present, marriages are performed only with permission of the State Rabbinate.
The Sephardic religious party Shas has voiced strong opposition to such a law and threatened that any such legislation would require agreement of the entire coalition in order to pass.
Tartman, however, said she believes an agreement can be reached with Shas on this issue.