PERES: LABOR READY TO JOIN LIKUD COALITION

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 002034

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/02/2014
TAGS: PGOV PREL KWBG GOI INTERNAL GAZA DISENGAGEMENT ISRAELI PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS
SUBJECT: PERES: LABOR READY TO JOIN LIKUD COALITION

REF: TEL AVIV 1941

Classified By: Ambassador Daniel Kurtzer for reason 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Labor Party Chairman Shimon Peres told Ambassador
Kurtzer unequivocally April 2 that Labor "could not stay out"
of the coalition if and when PM Sharon invites Labor to join.
Responding to a scenario where Sharon loses the two
right-wing coalition partners over a cabinet vote on
unilateral withdrawal and needs to form a new coalition that
supports withdrawal, Peres answered rhetorically: "Are we so
crazy as to stop withdrawal and settlement dismantlement?
This (withdrawal) is what we wanted."


2. (C) As to losing Labor MKs over a decision to join with
Sharon, Peres scoffed at any notion that Amram Mitzna would
leave, concluding that the only sure defector would be
Labor's Avraham Burg, who, Peres quipped, was "beyond
recognition." "What happened to him?" Peres asked
quizzically.


3. (C) Peres voiced dissatisfaction with the evolving
substance of Sharon's disengagement plan, noting that he was
disappointed with the "diet" the plan had gone through since
it was initially proposed. He asserted that Sharon would not
settle for Israeli control over just the three major West
Bank settlement clusters, but would seek control over other
portions of the West Bank as well.

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