Israeli opposition leader Shimon Peres said his Labour party will decide on Tuesday whether to accept an offer by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to join a new broad-based coalition government.
”We were invited by the prime minister to try and set up a government. Today the party will decide yes or no, and that’s all,” Peres said.
Labour’s political bureau is scheduled to meet later on Tuesday to decide on its next move after Peres and Sharon held a first round of talks on Monday about the formation of a new government in order to push through parliament a plan to pull troops and settlers out of the Gaza Strip.
Asked how long the negotiations on the exact line-up of a government would take, Peres said: ”We can finish it quite quickly.
”There is no reason to drag it out. It’s yes or no. The prime minister said that if not, we will go to elections.”
Sharon needs to find new partners to bring into government after losing his overall parliamentary majority last month as former right-wing allies baulked at the Gaza pullout plan.
Reports on Tuesday said that Sharon has also been putting out feelers to two religious parties, Shas and United Torah Judaism, about entering a coalition but such a move will almost certainly trigger the departure of the secular Shinui party from government.
Shinui leader and Justice Minister Tommy Lapid played down the overtures in an interview with the Jerusalem Post daily.
”I wouldn’t take the threat of a coalition with the haredim too seriously. I don’t see it happening.”
Peres also appeared unfazed by Sharon’s dalliance with the religious parties although he has previously voiced his opposition to their participation in government.
”It doesn’t bother me. Let Sharon dance at every wedding — I don’t go to weddings,” he said.
”Sharon can’t have what he wants. I don’t think he came to us excitedly or out of love. I think that if he could set up a government without us, he would.”
Sharon’s need for new coalition partners was underlined late on Monday when he only just managed to survive three no confidence motions, including one that finished in a tie.
In a stormy meeting earlier in the day, he warned rebel MPs from his own Likud party that he is ready to call snap elections if they withhold their backing.
His deputy Ehud Olmert said that talks with Labour are at a ”very preliminary stage.”
”But we are certainly anxious to have a broader-based coalition and if the Labour party can join in, that can be very helpful because that would aid more stability to the political system which we need,” he said in Brussels.
Asked about a role for Peres in a new government, he said: ”We will see how the negotiations continue and what roles are held by different personalities.” — Sapa-AFP