Peretz: Chasm between us, Lieberman not only consideration
Knesset members oppose Lieberman, Israel Our Home as part of coalition. Olmert, Peretz to meet to discuss addition
Peretz spoke in response to the conflict in his party regarding whether or not to drop out of the coalition because of the coming addition of MK Avigdor Lieberman to the government. Peretz asked the members not to smear the party, “We are the only ones who implemented large portions of our platform. Today’s meeting the prime minister is extremely critical. Our Torah has not changed. We are still the final democratic party in Israel.”
MK Shelly Yacimovich (Labor-Meimad) asked party members not to support the addition of Israel Our Home to the coalition.
“I turn to you not as a sector, but as an ideological arrow head in the Labor movement, and ask you to so ‘No’ to Lieberman. Having Lieberman in the government would mean having an extreme right economy, showing Bibi as a socialist in comparison, and an end to every dream of political moves and tough messages for Israeli Arabs,” she said.
In contrast to her, Agriculture Minister Shalom Simhon said that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert wanted Labor to stay in the coalition. "The prime minister has no wish to trick Amir Peretz," he said, calling on his party to remain in the coalition.
The ministers spoke before Olmert and Peretz’s meeting Tuesday evening. Peretz refrained from political expression in recent days, and messages leaving his office were calm.
However, Peretz did say he opposed the addition of Israel Our Home to the government, because of the ideological gaps between the Labor part and Lieberman’s party.
It was estimated that Olmert would try to convince Peretz to remain in the government and would promise him that the government would not abandon the political channel and the social and economic issues.
Still, the prime minister’s aides said that Olmert did not intend on making special gestures towards the defense minister.
