The new Sharon government continues to take shape, with the Likud ministerial appointments becoming nearly final during the night. It now appears that Limor Livnat will not be Education Minister, but rather Minister of Internal Security, while Meir Shetreet will take over the Education Ministry. Ruby Rivlin is designated for Communications, Tzippy Livni will be in Justice, and Silvan Shalom will be Finance Minister. Danny Naveh will be the Liaison Minister between the government and the Knesset, while Uzi Landau and Yehoshua Matza will be Ministers without Portfolio.
National Union-Yisrael Beiteinu will receive two Ministers: Rehavam Ze\'evi will be Minister of Tourism, and Avigdor Lieberman will serve as Minister of National Infrastructures - a post first created for Ariel Sharon in the Netanyahu government. Ze\'evi was not happy with his appointment, but agreed to it after he was assured that he would also be a member of the government\'s security cabinet.
The coalition talks between the Likud and Shas have all but ended, and most of the issues in dispute have been resolved. Shas - with 17 MKs, the 3rd-largest Knesset party - will have 4-5 ministers and three deputy ministers, and Shas leader Eli Yeshai will serve as Second Deputy Minister, following Shimon Peres. Regarding the Shas radio stations, a special Radio Council will be established in the Ministry of Religious Affairs - which will be headed by a Shas government minister. Still to be decided is the question of the timing of the cancellation of the direct election for Prime Minister; Shas wants to continue the status quo at least during the next Knesset election. Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef will announce today his choice of Shas\' ministers.
In the National Religious Party, Rabbi Yitzchak Levy will be appointed Housing Minister, but the party is still seeking a post for Sha\'ul Yahalom. MK Zevulun Orlev told Arutz-7 today, \"We recognize our national and religious responsibility, and we will support this government no matter what. But we may not join it. It should be clear that with all the support that we gave Ariel Sharon in the previous election, we should be treated not with extra-special consideration, but in a manner at least commensurate with our size and contribution. If Labor-Meimad (23 Knesset seats) receives eight ministers, and the NRP (5 seats) only one, then it is clear that something is wrong. If Shas (19 MKs) receives five ministerial positions, then how can we get only one?\" It should be noted that the portfolios are distributed according to a formula of one for each 3 MKs.
Yisrael B\'Aliyah is still not totally satisfied with that which has been offered it, but party leader Natan Sharansky said, \"I will not be the cause of even a one-day delay in the establishment of this government. If we cannot reach agreement with the Likud, we will support it from the outside.\"
National Union-Yisrael Beiteinu will receive two Ministers: Rehavam Ze\'evi will be Minister of Tourism, and Avigdor Lieberman will serve as Minister of National Infrastructures - a post first created for Ariel Sharon in the Netanyahu government. Ze\'evi was not happy with his appointment, but agreed to it after he was assured that he would also be a member of the government\'s security cabinet.
The coalition talks between the Likud and Shas have all but ended, and most of the issues in dispute have been resolved. Shas - with 17 MKs, the 3rd-largest Knesset party - will have 4-5 ministers and three deputy ministers, and Shas leader Eli Yeshai will serve as Second Deputy Minister, following Shimon Peres. Regarding the Shas radio stations, a special Radio Council will be established in the Ministry of Religious Affairs - which will be headed by a Shas government minister. Still to be decided is the question of the timing of the cancellation of the direct election for Prime Minister; Shas wants to continue the status quo at least during the next Knesset election. Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef will announce today his choice of Shas\' ministers.
In the National Religious Party, Rabbi Yitzchak Levy will be appointed Housing Minister, but the party is still seeking a post for Sha\'ul Yahalom. MK Zevulun Orlev told Arutz-7 today, \"We recognize our national and religious responsibility, and we will support this government no matter what. But we may not join it. It should be clear that with all the support that we gave Ariel Sharon in the previous election, we should be treated not with extra-special consideration, but in a manner at least commensurate with our size and contribution. If Labor-Meimad (23 Knesset seats) receives eight ministers, and the NRP (5 seats) only one, then it is clear that something is wrong. If Shas (19 MKs) receives five ministerial positions, then how can we get only one?\" It should be noted that the portfolios are distributed according to a formula of one for each 3 MKs.
Yisrael B\'Aliyah is still not totally satisfied with that which has been offered it, but party leader Natan Sharansky said, \"I will not be the cause of even a one-day delay in the establishment of this government. If we cannot reach agreement with the Likud, we will support it from the outside.\"