The possible inclusion of the Yisrael Beiteinu (Israel is Our Home) party in the government coalition has revealed a measure of disunity within the Labor party. The 19 MKs of Labor, currently Kadima's senior coalition partner, are speaking in discordant voices about Yisrael Beiteinu, the party headed by Avigdor Lieberman (pictured).
Labor's chairman, Defense Minister Amir Peretz, visited Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in the latter's sukkah in Jerusalem on Wednesday, telling him that Yisrael Beiteinu in the government was a "no go" from Labor's standpoint. Peretz said he had nothing personally against Lieberman, but emphasized that Labor and Yisrael Beiteinu have totally different agendas and ideologies.
Lieberman is known for his strong right-wing views, yet is not totally allied with the Israel's traditional right-wing camp. He favors civil marriages, and has called for trading Um el-Fahm and other Israeli-Arab areas in exchange for large parts of Judea and Samaria. He has also upset many in the left-wing with remarks perceived as anti-Arab, such as calling Arab MKs who side with the enemy "traitors," and favoring a halt in services to Arab localities that refuse to hoist an Israeli flag in local schools.
Olmert is planning to offer Lieberman only one ministerial portfolio - a new one dealing with Israel's strategic preparations vis-a-vis the Iranian nuclear threat.
Labor Disunity
Within Labor, MKs Ephraim Sneh, Danny Yatom, Avishai Braverman and Israeli-Arab Nadia Hilu are against Yisrael Beiteinu joining the government. However, Prime Minister Olmert is not giving up on Sneh, and met with him today - reportedly to offer him the post of Deputy Defense Minister in the event that he drops his objections to Yisrael Beiteinu. This would be a big jump for Sneh, who has recently called for Labor to merge with the radical left-wing Meretz party.
Labor's Minister Shalom Simchon and MK Orit Noked have spoken out in favor of Yisrael Beiteinu's inclusion in the government. MKs Ami Ayalon and Matan Vilnai say that Yisrael Beiteinu would have to accept the current coalition guidelines.
Within the Likud
MK Natan Sharansky has announced his resignation from politics, after ten years as a Knesset Member, including several years as a government minister. He founded the Yisrael B'Aliyah party for new Russian immigrants in 1996, and it won four Knesset seats in each of the next two elections. In 2003, it won only two seats, and promptly merged with and into the Likud.
Sharansky says he plans to engage in writing and research in the Shalem Center. Former MK Chaim Katz will replace him in the Knesset.
Joining the Likud
Gen. (ret.) Yossi Peled has rejoined the Likud, ten years after quitting the party. "Something has happened in the last two months," he told the daily Yisraeli newspaper, "and therefore I decided to join the Likud. If you want to have influence, it has to be done via politics."
Peled did not deny that his departure from the Likud a decade ago was motivated by his strong disappointment with the Likud Chairman of then and now, Binyamin Netanyahu. "But you can't expect me not to change my mind in ten years," he said. "I have changed my mind, and I now see the changing reality. Both Netanyahu and I have matured over the past ten years."
Peled is apparently not a right-wing ideologue. "I think that the ideological differences [among Kadima, Labor and Likud] are very small," he said, "and therefore, what will make the difference is where the quality people will be. A good group of people in the Likud and Netanyahu, who is the right man for the job of Prime Minister, can do things better." Peled, who expressed strong criticism of the way the recent war in Lebanon was run, said Netanyahu had not promised him any specific job or position.
Labor's chairman, Defense Minister Amir Peretz, visited Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in the latter's sukkah in Jerusalem on Wednesday, telling him that Yisrael Beiteinu in the government was a "no go" from Labor's standpoint. Peretz said he had nothing personally against Lieberman, but emphasized that Labor and Yisrael Beiteinu have totally different agendas and ideologies.
Lieberman is known for his strong right-wing views, yet is not totally allied with the Israel's traditional right-wing camp. He favors civil marriages, and has called for trading Um el-Fahm and other Israeli-Arab areas in exchange for large parts of Judea and Samaria. He has also upset many in the left-wing with remarks perceived as anti-Arab, such as calling Arab MKs who side with the enemy "traitors," and favoring a halt in services to Arab localities that refuse to hoist an Israeli flag in local schools.
Olmert is planning to offer Lieberman only one ministerial portfolio - a new one dealing with Israel's strategic preparations vis-a-vis the Iranian nuclear threat.
Labor Disunity
Within Labor, MKs Ephraim Sneh, Danny Yatom, Avishai Braverman and Israeli-Arab Nadia Hilu are against Yisrael Beiteinu joining the government. However, Prime Minister Olmert is not giving up on Sneh, and met with him today - reportedly to offer him the post of Deputy Defense Minister in the event that he drops his objections to Yisrael Beiteinu. This would be a big jump for Sneh, who has recently called for Labor to merge with the radical left-wing Meretz party.
Labor's Minister Shalom Simchon and MK Orit Noked have spoken out in favor of Yisrael Beiteinu's inclusion in the government. MKs Ami Ayalon and Matan Vilnai say that Yisrael Beiteinu would have to accept the current coalition guidelines.
Within the Likud
MK Natan Sharansky has announced his resignation from politics, after ten years as a Knesset Member, including several years as a government minister. He founded the Yisrael B'Aliyah party for new Russian immigrants in 1996, and it won four Knesset seats in each of the next two elections. In 2003, it won only two seats, and promptly merged with and into the Likud.
Sharansky says he plans to engage in writing and research in the Shalem Center. Former MK Chaim Katz will replace him in the Knesset.
Joining the Likud
Gen. (ret.) Yossi Peled has rejoined the Likud, ten years after quitting the party. "Something has happened in the last two months," he told the daily Yisraeli newspaper, "and therefore I decided to join the Likud. If you want to have influence, it has to be done via politics."
Peled did not deny that his departure from the Likud a decade ago was motivated by his strong disappointment with the Likud Chairman of then and now, Binyamin Netanyahu. "But you can't expect me not to change my mind in ten years," he said. "I have changed my mind, and I now see the changing reality. Both Netanyahu and I have matured over the past ten years."
Peled is apparently not a right-wing ideologue. "I think that the ideological differences [among Kadima, Labor and Likud] are very small," he said, "and therefore, what will make the difference is where the quality people will be. A good group of people in the Likud and Netanyahu, who is the right man for the job of Prime Minister, can do things better." Peled, who expressed strong criticism of the way the recent war in Lebanon was run, said Netanyahu had not promised him any specific job or position.