Labor MKs who are opposed to joining a coalition led by Likud’s Binyamin Netanyahu will meet Thursday evening to discuss how to prevent such a move by party chairman, Ehud Barak. Barak has made clear in recent days that he is tempted by the idea of joining the coalition after Netanyahu offered him the Defense Ministry and several other portfolios, to divide among Labor MKs.
Meanwhile, the political rhetoric is heating up around the possible move by Barak. MK Marina Solodkin of Kadima went so far as to say that “the latest development in the Labor party reminds me of a house of ill-repute.”
Solodkin claimed that “Labor said all along that it did not recommend Tzipi Livni to the President because we [Kadima] are ideologically close to Yisrael Beiteinu, and now they themselves are going to sit with Netanyahu, [Yisrael Beiteinu Chairman Avigdor] Lieberman and [Shas party leader Eli] Yishai. As far as I am concerned, this is the end of the era of ideology, and a terrible, dangerous development.”
Solodkin predicted that a Likud coalition with Labor would not last long and would lead to elections in 18 months’ time. She also blasted Netanyahu for sealing deals with Shas and Yisrael Beiteinu before doing so with Kadima.
While some sources in Kadima expressed concern that Labor's entry into the coalition would leave them alone in the opposition, other sources in the party said Thursday that if Labor splits, the rebel Labor faction could wind up uniting with Kadima. Others said that Kadima itself might ultimately split up, with some joining the government coalition.
'Strangling and Killing Labor Option'
Prime Minister-designate Netanyahu met with Labor Secretary-General MK Eitan Cabel Thursday in order to try and persuade him to agree to Barak’s move. Cabel declared, however, that “while the conversation was fascinating, I told Netanyahu that he failed to convince me.”
Labor MK Shelly Yechimovich, one of the most vocal opponents of Barak’s intended move, accused him of “strangling and killing the Labor party’s option of becoming a true alternative.”
Yechimovich said that even if Barak persuades the party to join the coalition, she would not leave the party. She hinted, however, that she would try to unseat Barak. The 'rebels' include MK Daniel Ben-Simon, MK Cabel and MK Yuli Tamir, the outgoing Education Minister. It is not clear if MK Avishai Braverman is also a part of the group.