Ariel Sharon and Ehud Barak were to meet today to iron out the last differences in their budding national unity government agreement. The Likud has responded to strong demands - some call them \"threats\" - by its partners on the right, and wishes to reformulate the clause that deals with Jewish construction in Judea and Samaria. The clause currently states that new construction will be permitted only in accordance with the towns\' \"natural growth.\"
Likud coalition-talks representative Ehud Olmert, Mayor of Jerusalem, said today that the Likud would not allow Labor to force it to antagonize its natural partners on the right, and then have its government be solely dependent on the support of Labor. When asked if Labor had vetoed Rehavam Ze\'evi (National Union) and Avigdor Lieberman (Yisrael B\'Aliyah) as government ministers, Olmert said, \"Labor will clearly not have a veto right on who we will accept as a government minister.\" He also said that Attorney-General Elyakim Rubenstein\'s recommendation regarding Lieberman was not binding. Rubenstein said yesterday that Lieberman, who was indicted on charges of insulting a police officer, may not be a government minister. Olmert said that Sharon could, if he wished, appoint Lieberman, and then wait to see if someone challenged it in court.
Likud coalition-talks representative Ehud Olmert, Mayor of Jerusalem, said today that the Likud would not allow Labor to force it to antagonize its natural partners on the right, and then have its government be solely dependent on the support of Labor. When asked if Labor had vetoed Rehavam Ze\'evi (National Union) and Avigdor Lieberman (Yisrael B\'Aliyah) as government ministers, Olmert said, \"Labor will clearly not have a veto right on who we will accept as a government minister.\" He also said that Attorney-General Elyakim Rubenstein\'s recommendation regarding Lieberman was not binding. Rubenstein said yesterday that Lieberman, who was indicted on charges of insulting a police officer, may not be a government minister. Olmert said that Sharon could, if he wished, appoint Lieberman, and then wait to see if someone challenged it in court.