Leaders of the Yesha Council - representing the communities of Judea, Samaria and Gaza - will meet today with Shas head Eli Yeshai. The Council is working towards the formation of a parliamentary bloc working against an anti-Palestinian state during the coalition negotiations.
Minister Shlomo Benizri (Shas) predicted today that the most likely coalition scenario is: Likud, Shas, NRP, UTJ, Am Echad, and Yisrael B'Aliyah - a total of 65 seats. "Sharon doesn't want an 'extreme' right-wing government with National Union," Benizri said, "because this will cause a problem in attaining the U.S. loan guarantees. It does not appear that Shinui will enter the government, because they don't want to sit with us, and UTJ and NRP will not feel comfortable with Shinui for very long... Such a government could last at most for a couple of months... The other possibility is Likud-Shinui-Labor, which will not do anything diplomatically. What he needs, therefore, is a 'moderate' right-wing government..."
Minister Shlomo Benizri (Shas) predicted today that the most likely coalition scenario is: Likud, Shas, NRP, UTJ, Am Echad, and Yisrael B'Aliyah - a total of 65 seats. "Sharon doesn't want an 'extreme' right-wing government with National Union," Benizri said, "because this will cause a problem in attaining the U.S. loan guarantees. It does not appear that Shinui will enter the government, because they don't want to sit with us, and UTJ and NRP will not feel comfortable with Shinui for very long... Such a government could last at most for a couple of months... The other possibility is Likud-Shinui-Labor, which will not do anything diplomatically. What he needs, therefore, is a 'moderate' right-wing government..."