Prime Minister-elect Ariel Sharon and Prime Minister Ehud Barak met today to discuss both their impending \"changing of the guard\" - upon the formation of a new government, Sharon will replace Barak as Prime Minister - as well as issues related to the coalition negotiations. Sharon offered Barak the position of Defense Minister - a position that Barak now holds - but the Prime Minister said that his original decision to resign is still in effect. Shimon Peres, currently the Minister of Regional Development, said today that he would be interested only in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Likud MK Ruby Rivlin explained to Arutz-7 today why his party had offered Labor its choice of any two of the three most prestigious government ministries - Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Finance: \"If we want a true partnership with Labor, then two of the top four positions - not including the Prime Minister - must go to our partner.\" Jerusalem Mayor Ehud Olmert, a member of the Likud negotiating team, said that although Labor has been offered an equal number of ministries as the Likud, the Likud would retain the Education, Justice, and Public Security portfolios. Olmert said this afternoon that the successful completion of coalition negotiations appears to be closer. Although Barak and Peres continue to wrangle over who will lead the coalition negotiations, there appears to be a majority within Labor to join the unity government; a final decision will apparently be made on Thursday.
In what appeared to be last-minute pre-agreement tough talk, Labor coalition-talks representative Dalia Itzik said that the Likud negotiators had not formulated clear guidelines, and that \"if by tomorrow they don’t present us with a basis on which to establish such a government, we will not join.” After a Likud-Labor meeting today, Likud members said that they had heard the Labor demands, and will present their response tomorrow.
Likud MK Ruby Rivlin explained to Arutz-7 today why his party had offered Labor its choice of any two of the three most prestigious government ministries - Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Finance: \"If we want a true partnership with Labor, then two of the top four positions - not including the Prime Minister - must go to our partner.\" Jerusalem Mayor Ehud Olmert, a member of the Likud negotiating team, said that although Labor has been offered an equal number of ministries as the Likud, the Likud would retain the Education, Justice, and Public Security portfolios. Olmert said this afternoon that the successful completion of coalition negotiations appears to be closer. Although Barak and Peres continue to wrangle over who will lead the coalition negotiations, there appears to be a majority within Labor to join the unity government; a final decision will apparently be made on Thursday.
In what appeared to be last-minute pre-agreement tough talk, Labor coalition-talks representative Dalia Itzik said that the Likud negotiators had not formulated clear guidelines, and that \"if by tomorrow they don’t present us with a basis on which to establish such a government, we will not join.” After a Likud-Labor meeting today, Likud members said that they had heard the Labor demands, and will present their response tomorrow.