The Center Party, headed by former Likud MK Dan Meridor, is apparently headed for the government coalition. Meridor told Prime Minister Ariel Sharon today that he would not take on a newly-created post entitled Minister of Strategic Planning, but would rather suffice with membership in the security cabinet instead. According to the agreement-in-formation, the Center Party will also receive the Regional Development portfolio, and will continue to man the chairmanship of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. The party originally had six MKs, three from the left and three from the right, but a series of resignations and other changes has left it with five MKs, four of whom identify with the right-wing camp.
Likud MK Yisrael Katz, a supporter of Binyamin Netanyahu - Prime Minister Sharon\'s main opponent in the ongoing race for party leader - said that he has no objections to Meridor joining the government in which \"after all, Shimon Peres is also a member. But regarding the possibility of Meridor\'s party joining the Likud in order to block Netanyahu [Meridor is known to object to Netanyahu], this is something else. First of all, I\'m not so sure of Meridor\'s political views: he was in Camp David with Barak, and expressed no objections to Barak\'s proposals, except regarding Jerusalem…\"
Likud MK Yisrael Katz, a supporter of Binyamin Netanyahu - Prime Minister Sharon\'s main opponent in the ongoing race for party leader - said that he has no objections to Meridor joining the government in which \"after all, Shimon Peres is also a member. But regarding the possibility of Meridor\'s party joining the Likud in order to block Netanyahu [Meridor is known to object to Netanyahu], this is something else. First of all, I\'m not so sure of Meridor\'s political views: he was in Camp David with Barak, and expressed no objections to Barak\'s proposals, except regarding Jerusalem…\"