Kadima: Lieberman Decision Sends Us İnto Opposition

The decision by Yisrael Beiteinu Chair Avigdor Lieberman to recommend Benjamin Netanyahu as Israel's next prime minister sends Kadima into the opposition, Kadima Party officials said Thursday.

Interior Minister Meir Sheetrit said Lieberman's announcement did not come as a surprise. "I knew from the start that that would be [Lieberman's] decision, and I don't understand why everyone is surprised," Sheetrit said. He added: "Lieberman was never my cup of tea."

Kadima MK Yisrael Katz said the next decision to be made is by Kadima Chair Tzipi Livni, on whether or not to join a coalition under Netanyahu. "It is now up to [Livni] to make up her mind. Netanyahu has already made the magnanimous decision to ask her to join him in a broad coalition," Katz said.

Earlier on Thursday, Lieberman announced that his party would back Netanyahu as Israel's next prime minister. But Lieberman conditioned his support for Netanyahu on the Likud leader forging a broad coalition. The controversial far-rightist made the announcement shortly before meeting with Israeli President Shimon Peres to discuss whom Yisrael Beiteinu would recommend be charged with the task of setting up a coalition.

The president began consultations on Wednesday with Knesset factions' representatives, and is expected to decide over the weekend whether to charge Netanyahu or Kadima leader Tzipi Livni with the task of setting up a coalition. Peres intends to complete his consultations with all the faction representatives by Thursday night.

Lieberman returned from his Minsk vacation on Wednesday night to find that his status as kingmaker for a prospective coalition had been reduced after factions totaling 77 MKs decided not to join any prospective government led by Livni.

United Torah Judaism decided on Wednesday to join the Likud, Shas, Habayit Hayehudi and the National Union for a total of 50 MKs who will recommend to Peres that Netanyahu form a government.

Likud officials said it was clearer than ever that Peres would end up selecting Netanyahu without insisting on a rotation with Livni. "We asked the factions on the Right to not only tell Peres that they wanted Netanyahu to form a government, but also that they would not join a government led by anyone else," a Likud official explained. "We expect Lieberman to back us, but if not, it no longer matters."

Israel Beiteinu earlier refuted contradictory reports in the Israeli press about whom Lieberman would recommend to Peres. Two days after Kadima responded positively to all of Israel Beiteinu's demands except for the initiation of a loyalty oath, Likud followed suit, agreeing to its requests to topple Hamas, change the electoral system, fund immigrants and find solutions for converts seeking an easier path into Judaism and couples seeking recognition for civil unions without a religious ceremony.

Kadima and Likud each mocked the commitments of the other for not being specific enough, but the head of Israel Beiteinu's negotiating team, MK Stas Meseznikov, said they were satisfied with the responses of both parties. "Neither of their responses were perfect, but from the seriousness of what they wrote, we are confident that our five requests will be in the coalition guidelines, and that's what really matters to us," Meseznikov said.

Likud officials warned that they could take revenge against Israel Beiteinu by leaving the party out of the coalition if Lieberman recommended anyone but Netanyahu to Peres. Lieberman's options include recommending himself or neither candidate and pushing for the formation of a national-unity government.

LIKUD: ONLY BIBI CAN FROM A GOVERNMENT

Likud representatives urged Peres Wednesday evening to task Netanyahu with forming next Israeli government. "There is only one person who has a chance to form a government, and that's Benjamin Netanyahu," Knesset Member Gideon Sa'ar told Peres. "There is no mathematical possibility, even on paper, for Livni to form a government."

Likud MK Silvan Shalom, who also attended the meeting, told the Israeli president: "We came here with the sense that the people of Israel spoke out, and this statement was clear and unequivocal." Shalom urged Peres to task Netanyahu with forming the next coalition "in order to prevent needless waste of time and instability."

KADIMA: LIVNI GOVERNMENT TO UNITE NATION

However, earlier in the evening, Kadima's representatives told Peres that Livni should be Israel's next prime minister. The people's will must be respected, Israeli Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz said during a press conference Wednesday evening after recommending to President Peres that Kadima Chairwoman Livni be granted the right to form a governmental coalition. "The people decided that Kadima would lead the next government," Mofaz said.

Following the meeting with Peres, Mofaz said that a "Livni-led government would unite the nation." During the meeting, Kadima representatives stressed that the next coalition should be a broad national unity government.

"The fact that the president summoned Kadima first speaks for itself," Mofaz added. "In the face of the current challenges, the State of Israel needs a unity government. A national unity government headed by Kadima and by Tzipi Livni would be able to unite all sections of the nation…this is the wish of the people, and it cannot be ignored."

Earlier, members of the Central Elections Committee arrived at the presidential residence to deliver the formal results of the votes for Israel's 18th Knesset to Peres.

PERES OPTIMISTIC ON NEW GOV’T

Peres told members of the Committee that he is certain that a "blessed partnership will be formed," expressing his confidence that Israel's political leaders will have the welfare of the country before them as they establish a new coalition government. Peres received the Committee members and expressed his gratitude to its Chairman, Eliezer Rivlin.

Peres added that he intends to embark on consultations with Knesset factions ahead of selecting the next premiership candidate, adding that he is aware of the heavy responsibility he bears. "I will act with a sense of very deep commitment for the sake of Israeli citizens and the honor of their state," he said.

Following this round of meetings, Peres will summon either Livni or Netanyahu to his office and task one of them with forming the government. That person will have 28 days to form a coalition, as well as a 14-day extension if necessary. Should the candidate fail to form a government, the president will task another candidate with the job, giving him 28 days to complete the task with no possibility of an extension.

BARAK: WE WON’T RECOMMEND ANYONE AS PM

As expected, Ehud Barak on Thursday announced that his Labor party would not endorse any candidate for prime minister and would opt instead to head for the opposition. "The electorate has given the word," Barak said at the opening of a Labor faction meeting. "The picture is complicated and disturbing when Israel Beiteinu is the one to recommend who Israel's next prime minister will be. We are left with only one option, and that is to decide not to recommend anyone for the premiership."

Labor representatives are set to convey the party's decision to the Israeli President during the day. Labor joins Meretz and the three Arab parties in deciding to remain in the opposition no matter who forms a government, to protest the assurances that Kadima gave Israel Beiteinu in pursuit of Lieberman's endorsement. Both Labor and Meretz are also being pressed to rehabilitate their parties after their losses in last Tuesday's election.