Olmert to mull bringing Meretz into coalition

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will hold a discussion next week on the possibility of offering the Meretz party to join the government, officials in the Prime Minister's Office said Friday.

Olmert will also look into the option of bringing the United Torah Judaism party into the coalition.

The prime minister's aides have been negotiating with the haredi party in recent months, but United Torah Judaism's officials have already stressed that they do not plan to join the government at this stage.

"If it turns out that there is no chance to bring United Torah Judaism in, Olmert will discuss with the Labor Party and the other coalition partners the issue of manning the available portfolios, firstly the chairmanship of the Knesset's Finance Committee," the source said.

Newly-elected Meretz chairman, Chaim Oron said in response to the reports that "for the time being no negotiations are taking place. The possibility of Meretz joining the coalition is not on the agenda."

Other senior party officials added that the prospects of Meretz joining the government were "very slim."

One official explained that Olmert had to maintain the support from the Right. "If we join the coalition, we will demand serious negotiations with the Palestinians, including on the issue of Jerusalem, and Shas would not be able to stand this.

"We will also demand that Justice Minister Daniel Friedmann be dismissed, and this is also not likely to happen. Therefore, our joining the coalition is not currently an option. If Olmert makes a substantial move on the diplomatic front, he would enjoy Meretz's support from the opposition anyway," he added.