Livni launches coalition talks in meeting with Yishai
Newly elected Kadima leader meets with Shas chairman at her Tel Aviv home in bid to form new government. Defense Minister congratulates Livni on her win; Labor officials discuss general elections
Livni met Thursday evening with Shas Chairman Eli Yishai at her home in Tel Aviv. Earlier, she was expected to confer with rival candidates Avi Dichter and Meir Sheetrit, and perhaps also with Minister Rafi Eitan of the Pensioners Party.
Upon leaving Livni's house, Yishai said that the meeting was pleasant and friendly.
"We analyzed the situation. We did not go down to details of negotiations, but examined the possibilities, what would be the status quo in the new government and what is taking place in the Labor Party and Kadima.
"Shas is interested in the wellbeing of the State of Israel. Governmental stability is also important, but it's more important to know whether there is a plan to form a government in order to continue or in order to form it and then bring in down. We did not discuss negotiations, and as far as I am concerned – there is no government without Shas," he clarified.
The foreign minister was also expected to meet with her main rival, Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz, whom she beat in the primary elections by only 1.1%, at the Kadima headquarters in Petah Tikva, but the meeting was cancelled following Mofaz's decision to take a break from politics.
Yishai declared Wednesday night that Shas would be willing to join a government led by Livni if the ultra-Orthodox party's conditions are accepted. The issue at the top of Shas' list of priorities is the child allowances, and the negotiations will likely focus on this issue. The party has also demanded a commitment not to hold any negotiations with the Palestinians on Jerusalem.
"If Livni addresses the issue of a million hungry children and doesn't give away the country's assets – with an emphasis on Jerusalem – we'll be in her government. If not, we won't be," Yishai said Wednesday night.
"I am sure that Livni knows the public doesn't care about her victory today, but rather about her actions tomorrow. The elections are a means, not an end."
'Livni's real intentions unclear'
And what about the other parts of the designated coalition? Labor Chairman and Defense Minister Ehud Barak telephoned the new Kadima leader on Thursday afternoon and congratulated her.
A source close to Barak told Ynet that "Livni's real intentions are still unclear to us. We get the feeling that she doesn’t want to form a government but rather to lead to new elections."
A number of senior party members attempted to stress Wednesday night that the party was not afraid of elections. Social Affairs Minister Isaac Herzog and Agriculture Minister Shalom Simhon both said that Kadima's registered members cannot be the only ones to determine who will be the new prime minister.
Additional Knesset members expressed similar views, although some sources in the Labor Party explained that this was part of the future negotiations with Livni.
