Science, Culture and Sports Minister Ophir Pines-Paz
Photo: Niv Calderon
Defense Minister Amir Peretz
Photo: Niv Calderon
Pines warns of Labor split over Lieberman
Labor minister, who voted against Peretz's deal with Olmert on Lieberman's entry to government, slams move and warns that Labor faction could split over inclusion of right-wing party
Labor ministers met Wednesday to discuss a deal between party Chairman Amir Peretz and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.
Peretz promised Olmert that he would ask his ministers to remain in a coalition that would include Israel Our Home leader Avigdor Lieberman in return for the appointment of a Laborite deputy defense minister and for supervising the ministerial committee for the Arab sector.
Labor
Attila Somfalvi
Olmert, Peretz decide on terms to keep Labor party in government despite inclusion of hawkish Israel Our Home faction
Science, Culture and Sports Minister Ophir Pines-Paz drew most of the attention when he voiced his opposition to Lieberman's entry to the coalition.
He was the only Labor minister to oppose the move and talks with him will last till Sunday, when the Labor Central Committee is expected to vote on the deal.
"The decision to remain in the government will split the Labor party to two camps," Pines-Paz said. Labor minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer said in response, "There were always two camps in this party."
Earlier, Ben-Eliezer congratulated Peretz on the deal and said: "That's a courageous decision and right in these days. The last thing the public wants are instability and elections. We need to ask ourselves straight if we, through our behavior, brought Lieberman to the coalition."
Peretz said during the meeting that the deal was not easy for him to accept but responsibility forced him to do so. He added that as a result of the meeting "all would join the band of the Labor party."
Cabel: No peace talks will lead to resignation
Education Minister Yuli Tamir said it was also difficult for her but she the decision is right. She said that Arab teachers told her that Labor made the right decision because the party joined the government to achieve certain goals.
Minister Eitan Cabel said that if the government fails to seek peace talks with the Palestinians he would resign.
Tourism Minister Yitzhak Herzog said that Labor is the most democratic party in the Knesset and that the Ministerial Committee for the Arab sector, which he will be heading, should not be degraded.
During the meeting, some 20 Labor activists demonstrated outside the hall in which Labor ministers congregated to protest the deal.
"Yes to ideology, no to post," read the banner waves by protesters, who were dispersed.
On Wednesday, Labor tried to paint a rosy picture but Labor sources told Ynet: "That was a choice between two bad options. No option would have been really good."
