Official: Sharon unmoved by ultimatum
Cabinet Secretary Yisrael Maimon tells Ynet prime minister not worried about newly-elected Labor Party Chairman Amir Peretz's threat to bring down the government by supporting no-confidence vote, if Sharon does not meet with him beforehand
Must an entire country go to elections just because no meeting is scheduled at the beginning of the week between Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Labor Party Chairman Amir Peretz, Cabinet Secretary Israel Maimon told Ynet Sunday, following Peretz's threat to bring down the government.
Peretz threatened last week to vote against the government during Wednesday's no-confidence vote if Sharon does not meet with him beforehand.
"Ariel Sharon is not moved by Amir Peretz's ultimatum," Maimon told Ynet. "Sharon was the first to call and congratulate Amir Peretz on Thursday morning after his election. If I am not mistaken, the two spoke about meeting at the beginning of the week, possibility Sunday."
However, Maimon said he estimates the two will not meet before Thursday.
"As someone who is familiar with the prime minister's schedule - a week filled with events to commemorate ten years since Rabin's murder - I do not understand the anger. Heads of state are here and the prime minister has already started meeting with them this morning," he said.
"Tomorrow there is a series of events too, and so on Friday our office coordinated a new time to meet next Thursday," he added.
Maimon: I don't understand the provocation
Meanwhile, Peretz's associates claim they left 22 messages for the prime minister over the weekend.
"Peretz's people called and the conversation was transferred to me," Maimon said in response to the claims. "I politely told his people that I would speak to him, but Peretz wanted to speak to the prime minister directly."
"A second call was made on Saturday evening, but the same situation was presented, Peretz only wanted to speak to Sharon," he said.
"If Peretz and the Labor party want to end their relationship with the prime minister and Likud, they can do it in an honorable way. Either way, I don't understand the provocative comment," he said. "The prime minister is not moved by Amir Peretz's ultimatum. I don't understand, just because no meeting is scheduled for the beginning of the week must an entire country go to elections?"
Pines-Paz: Labor will not support no-confidence vote
Despite Maimon's claims of Sharon's busy schedule, the prime minister is expected to meet Sunday with Finance Minister Ehud Olmert and Internal Security Minister Gideon Sa'ar.
While no meetings were scheduled for Sharon over the weekend, he could have spoken to Peretz by telephone, in order to prevent such a confrontation and threat to bring down the government.
Sources close to the prime minister said in response: "With all due respect to the Labor chairman, he does not determine the prime minister's agenda."
"I believe that the two will speak and reach an agreement regarding elections, which will solve this current disagreement," one source told Ynet.
Meanwhile, Minister Ophir Pines-Paz estimated Sunday that the Labor faction would not vote in favor of dissolving the Knesset if Sharon does not implement any moves which fundamentally contradict the party's policy.
Attila Somfalvi and Ilan Marciano contributed to the report
