MIDDLE EAST: New political parties challenge Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he gets an extension of two weeks to form a coalition government

Record ID: 838557

  • Title: MIDDLE EAST: New political parties challenge Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he gets an extension of two weeks to form a coalition government
  • Date: 3rd March 2013
  • Summary: JERUSALEM (MARCH 3, 2013) (REUTERS) ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU ARRIVING AT CABINET MEETING (SOUNDBITE) (Hebrew) ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU SAYING: "At a time when they (referring to Israel's enemies) are unifying their efforts, we are charged with unifying our own forces to repel these dangers and to my regret this is not what is happening and in the coming days I will continue my efforts to try to unify and galvanise the forces ahead of the large national and international challenges that we face. I hope that I will succeed and I will continue to try." MORE OF MEETING ISRAELI ENERGY MINISTER UZI LANDAU TALKING TO REPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) ISRAELI ENERGY MINISTER UZI LANDAU SAYING: "There are some difficulties, undoubtedly, as you have always in the putting up of a coalition government. We still have two weeks and as things are getting closer to that deadline, everybody who has just been elected to the parliament knows that if he doesn't make it he is going back to election. I don't think any politician would like to have that. So I believe a government will be on time." PEOPLE IN CAFE, READING NEWSPAPER VARIOUS OF PEOPLE IN CAFE MAN READING NEWSPAPER
  • Embargoed: 18th March 2013 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Jerusalem, Israel
  • City:
  • Country: Israel
  • Topics: Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVADZLTMPVM6IMUP64HWU5BUAQQ0
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  • Story Text: A surprise alliance by two rising and rival Israeli political stars is frustrating Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's efforts to form a new government.
    More than a month after Israel's election, Netanyahu is still without a new coalition, his hopes of enlisting traditionally loyal cabinet partners - ultra-Orthodox factions - challenged by a pact between an odd political couple - Yair Lapid, head of the centrist Yesh Atid (There is a Future) party, and Naftali Bennett, leader of the far-right Jewish Home, who have found common ground in their opposition to military draft exemptions long enjoyed by the ultra-Orthodox.
    On Saturday (March 2), President Shimon Peres met Netanyahu and approved the prime minister's request for more time to build a coalition.
    A 28-day period to do so has already expired and if Netanyahu - now with an extra 14 days to work with - fails to break the deadlock in coalition talks by March 16, Peres can pick another candidate or a snap election can be called.
    At the start of his weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem on Sunday (March 3), Netanyahu pledged to succeed in his task, citing Israel's strategic challenges.
    "At a time when they (referring to Israel's enemies) are unifying their efforts, we are charged with unifying our own forces to repel these dangers and to my regret this is not what is happening and in the coming days I will continue my efforts to try to unify and galvanise the forces ahead of the large national and international challenges that we face. I hope that I will succeed and I will continue to try," he said.
    Netanyahu's cabinet member and Israel's energy minister Uzi Landau voiced optimism and dismissed the possibility of another election.
    "There are some difficulties, undoubtedly, as you have always in the putting up of a coalition government. We still have two weeks and as things are getting closer to that deadline, everybody who has just been elected to the parliament knows that if he doesn't make it he is going back to election. I don't think any politician would like to have that. So I believe a government will be on time," he said in Jerusalem.
    Lapid's and Bennett's parties control a king-making 31 of parliament's 120 seats, the same number held by Netanyahu's rightist Likud-Beitenu list, whose weaker than forecast election showing left the prime minister off-balance as he strives for a third term.
    Lapid and Bennett both say they will not join a Netanyahu-led government without the other. Barring any radical repainting of the current political picture, Netanyahu needs the support of at least one of them to achieve a parliamentary majority.
    Calls to "share the national burden" helped propel Lapid, a 49-year-old former TV anchor and political newcomer, and Bennett, 40, an ex-commando and a high-tech millionaire with a support base of Jewish settlers, to strong finishes in the January 22 ballot.
    That position is effectively keeping the ultra-Orthodox out and dashing Netanyahu's hopes for a broad coalition that includes proven allies whose support for his policies is a by-product of state funding for their religious institutions.
    Netanyahu has accused Lapid and Bennett of blackballing the ultra-Orthodox.
    Israelis on Sunday voiced concern over the political situation.
    "I think that if Netanyahu would have been able to have established a government he would have done so by now. And the fact he wasn't able to do it yet makes me believe that we're going to have to have new elections," said Jerusalem resident Abigail Moskovitz.
    "If he (referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu) hasn't been able to establish a government now, he's gonna have a hard time doing it. If he is going after a centre left government then he can't do it, if he's going after a centre right government - he's playing games. And I think that he has to decide what type of a government is going to be, what type of coalition is going to be in the government," said Jerusalem resident Ronny Malin.
    Political science expert Professor Yaron Ezrachi told Reuters Television Netanyahu has failed to understand his position.
    "A month since the election, Netanyahu asks the President to give him another two weeks to form a coalition - his failure and his conduct during the last four weeks suggest that he has not internalized the extent of his setback in the last elections," Ezrachi said in his Jerusalem house.
    "He still thinks that he has the power and he certainly has the ambition to form a coalition according to his own image. but that power has been lost to him. Right now he confronts an opposition or rather two new parties (referring to Yesh Atid and Jewish Home parties)," he added.
    So far, Netanyahu has recruited only one party, centrist Hatnua, led by former foreign minister Tzipi Livni. He was due to hold further talks with Bennett later on Sunday.
    With Yesh Atid, Jewish Home and Hatnua - and excluding the ultra-Orthodox, who won 18 parliamentary seats - Netanyahu could have a majority government controlling 68. Recruitment of another centrist party, Kadima, would give him 70 seats.
    But it could be an uncomfortable mix for Netanyahu, whose government's survival would be in Bennett's and Lapid's hands.
    Differences over peace with the Palestinians are also a potential stumbling block.
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