Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04TELAVIV6262
2004-12-10 12:46:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tel Aviv
Cable title:  

SHARON WINS LIKUD GREEN LIGHT TO NEGOTIATE WITH A

Tags:  PGOV PREL KWBG IS GOI INTERNAL 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 006262 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/10/2014
TAGS: PGOV PREL KWBG IS GOI INTERNAL
SUBJECT: SHARON WINS LIKUD GREEN LIGHT TO NEGOTIATE WITH A
PORTFOLIO-FOCUSED LABOR PARTY


Classified By: Political Counselor Norman Olsen for reasons 1.4 (b,d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 006262

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/10/2014
TAGS: PGOV PREL KWBG IS GOI INTERNAL
SUBJECT: SHARON WINS LIKUD GREEN LIGHT TO NEGOTIATE WITH A
PORTFOLIO-FOCUSED LABOR PARTY


Classified By: Political Counselor Norman Olsen for reasons 1.4 (b,d).


1. (C) The Likud Central Committee's 62 percent majority
vote in favor of opening coalition negotiations with Labor,
United Torah Judaism (UTJ),and Shas is an important victory
in Prime Minister Sharon's long struggle to broaden his
minority government, which has dwindled down to 40 Likud MKs.
Embassy sources believe that Sharon will choose to bring
Labor and the UTJ into the coalition now, and only later
consider inviting Shas, due to Shas' opposition to
disengagement. A coalition composed of Likud, Labor (19 MKs)
and UTJ (five MKs) would give Sharon a majority coalition of
64 MKs. Once Histadrut Chair Amir Peretz's Am Ehad party is
formally part of the Labor Party in January, that party's two
seats will be added to the coalition.


2. (C) Prime Minister Sharon made the long-anticipated call
to Labor Party leader Peres December 10, inviting the 81-year
old statesman to the negotiating table. Peres will likely
bring the issue of entering coalition negotiations with Likud
before his own party's governing bodies December 11 and 12, a
move expected to create intra-party battles with what Labor
contacts say are unpredictable results. Labor Whip Isaac
Herzog told the Ambassador December 9 that Labor could decide
on the matter at its December 12 Central Committee meeting,
which is being held to vote on a date for party primaries
(septel). Herzog estimated that an agreement between Labor
and Likud could be wrapped up as early as December 16,
although he stressed that battles over ministerial portfolios
and economic issues would likely emerge between Labor and
Likud during the negotiations. Herzog explained that shortly
after a coalition agreement is reached, the Labor Party
governing bodies would vote on Labor candidates for eight
ministerial portfolios that Herzog expects Sharon to offer
Labor as part of the coalition agreement (see septel). Once
the portfolios are sorted out between Likud, Labor and UTJ --
the latter having traditionally shied away from accepting
Cabinet seats -- Sharon would present a new government before
the Knesset for its likely approval.

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