Kadima's coalition negotiations team on Sunday morning provided Labor Party's team with the first draft of the new government's basic guidelines. The document includes the understandings reached so far by the two parties, both on the political and on the social-economic issues.
On the political issues, it seems that an understanding has been reached between Labor and Kadima, after Labor demanded to receive clarifications from Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's representatives regarding his victory speech on election night. The basic guidelines are meant to be based on the speech, in which Olmert spoke about Israel's need to implement a diplomatic move.
Labor officials said that "we want to know the exact meaning of the prime minister's words."
In addition, the party demanded that the clarifications be part of the basic guidelines, and that all parties entering the government would sign the clarifications document.
Kadima officials are working on formulating the diplomatic clause, which will enable Avigdor Lieberman to also sign the document. Kadima members are now trying to convince Lieberman to withdraw from his demands on the political issues, according to which any withdrawal would be internationally backed.
Last week, sources in Kadima said: "We have reason to believe that we will be able to convince Lieberman to drop this issue."
Main argument: Minimum wage
On the social and economic issues, Kadima and Labor reached several understandings. So far, it seems that the main argument revolves around the minimum wage issue. Labor demands to implement a "first step" in raising the minimum wage by September, at a sum of NIS 500 (about USD 106).
Kadima officials made it clear last week that they do not intend to allow a raise in the minimum wage to USD 1,000 and that they oppose the date demanded by Labor at this stage. However, Kadima members also have no fundamental objection to a certain raise in the minimum wage.
The heads of the two parties' negotiations teams met on Passover eve. Labor officials said that an additional progress on the social issues was reached, but that the argument on the minimum wage remained.
"We demand that the first step would be of NIS 500, and would be implemented by September," Labor officials stressed Saturday night. "The elections proved that the public wants a change in the list of priorities on the social issues. The minimum wage is an appropriate mechanism both for a growth in economy and for the workers."
Labor Chairman Amir Peretz's aides said that the minimum wage issue is fundamental in the eyes of the party, and that it does not plan to make concessions over it.
"However," senior party members estimated," we will be able to reach an understanding with Kadima."
Meanwhile, the negotiations with the ultra-Orthodox parties, the Pensioners party and Israel Our Home are expected to also be resumed this week.
First published: 07:52, 04.16.6