Moshe Kahlon
Photo: Reuters
Kahlon to join coalition talks after boycotting first meeting
Kulanu party agrees to return to negotiating table after Likud, UTJ say Finance Committee, which Kahlon wants, was still under negotiations; Likud to try to seal deal with Haredi parties on Sunday.
After boycotting the first day of official coalition talks last week, Moshe Kahlon and his Kulanu party will return to the negotiating table on Sunday.
Kulanu and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party will meet Sunday evening to start discussing the basic guidelines of the new government.
The first meeting between the two teams was meant to take place Thursday morning, with Kulanu being scheduled to be the first party in the negotiating room, but following reports that Netanyahu plans to give the Knesset's Finance Committee to United Torah Judaism and leave the Administration of Planning part of the Interior Ministry (which is being eyed by Shas), Kahlon released a statement hinting he was opposing such moves.
Kulanu leader Moshe Kahlon (Photo: George Ginsburg)
Kahlon stated that those meant to deal with the high cost of housing and living were unfairly distributing the "tools of the trade."
Kahlon wants to have the Knesset's economic bodies all under his wing, and decided to boycott the first coalition negotiations meeting.
On Saturday night, however, after receiving messages from both Likud and United Torah Judaism that these issues were still up for negotiation, Kahlon's representatives announced he will arrive at the meeting Sunday to present Kulanu's basic guidelines for the new government.
On Sunday morning, even before their meeting with Kulanu representatives, the Likud will meet with UTJ and Shas in an attempt to secure their joining to the coalition as quickly as possible.
The Likud stressed that any government formed would include the ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) parties and for that reason, they will work to reach an agreement on all major issues except the Finance Committee, which is still being disputed.
