The government and the Knesset on Monday both approved the coalition deal resulting in the inclusion of the right-wing Yisrael Beiteinu Party in the ruling coalition. As a result of the agreement, Yisrael Beiteinu leader Avigdor Lieberman is now serving as a cabinet member - the newly created post of Minister of Strategic Affairs assigned to the Prime Minister’s Office.
While the coalition deal provides a safety net for the prime minister, it has sparked accusations of racism from Arab parties and left-wing parties as well as among a number of Labor Party lawmakers. Lieberman has supported trading Israeli-Arab areas for those in Judea and Samaria, and has referred to the Israeli-Arab public as a fifth column.
The Lieberman deal also resulted in Labor MK Dr. Ephraim Sneh moving into the vacant deputy defense minister slot, as well as Labor leader Defense Minister Amir Peretz being appointed as the chair of the Ministerial Committee on Arab Affairs.
After the Labor Party Central Committee voted to remain in the coalition on Sunday, the party’s chief opponent to the agreement, Minister of Science, Culture & Sport Ophir Pines resigned. The vacancy, most analysts feel, will be filled by senior Labor official Matan Vilnai, who served as science minister is a previous administration. In the meantime, Pines announced he will be joining the party leadership race, competing against Peretz and others for the top position. Elections will be held next year.
For now, Olmert is resting comfortably with the realization his coalition now has a comfortable majority. Olmert signaled last week that he does not plan to wait much longer for the United Torah Judaism Party. To date, the prime minister has held the Welfare Ministry slot for UTJ, hoping to reach a deal.
Last week, armed with the realization that Yisrael Beiteinu and its 11 mandates are secured, Olmert told UTJ that in the coming days, if a decision to enter the coalition is not reached, he will give the slot to another coalition member.
With coalition worries aside for the time being, the prime minister needs only worry about the brewing criminal investigation concerning his alleged illegal activities in the Bank Leumi affair, as well as investigations into the war in Lebanon.
While the coalition deal provides a safety net for the prime minister, it has sparked accusations of racism from Arab parties and left-wing parties as well as among a number of Labor Party lawmakers. Lieberman has supported trading Israeli-Arab areas for those in Judea and Samaria, and has referred to the Israeli-Arab public as a fifth column.
The Lieberman deal also resulted in Labor MK Dr. Ephraim Sneh moving into the vacant deputy defense minister slot, as well as Labor leader Defense Minister Amir Peretz being appointed as the chair of the Ministerial Committee on Arab Affairs.
After the Labor Party Central Committee voted to remain in the coalition on Sunday, the party’s chief opponent to the agreement, Minister of Science, Culture & Sport Ophir Pines resigned. The vacancy, most analysts feel, will be filled by senior Labor official Matan Vilnai, who served as science minister is a previous administration. In the meantime, Pines announced he will be joining the party leadership race, competing against Peretz and others for the top position. Elections will be held next year.
For now, Olmert is resting comfortably with the realization his coalition now has a comfortable majority. Olmert signaled last week that he does not plan to wait much longer for the United Torah Judaism Party. To date, the prime minister has held the Welfare Ministry slot for UTJ, hoping to reach a deal.
Last week, armed with the realization that Yisrael Beiteinu and its 11 mandates are secured, Olmert told UTJ that in the coming days, if a decision to enter the coalition is not reached, he will give the slot to another coalition member.
With coalition worries aside for the time being, the prime minister needs only worry about the brewing criminal investigation concerning his alleged illegal activities in the Bank Leumi affair, as well as investigations into the war in Lebanon.