OCCUPIEd JERUSALEM (PIC)– Benjamin Netanyahu the leader of the Likud party who was assigned by Israeli president Shimon Peres to form the new government plans to offer his rival Kadima party two important portfolios in order to convince them join his coalition government.
Hebrew daily ‘Ha’aretz’ on Sunday said that Netanyahu was prepared to offer Tzipi Livni the Kadima leader two of the three portfolios of war finance and foreign affairs in addition to the post of deputy premier in the event she agreed to join his coalition.
Likud member Silvan Shalom told the Hebrew radio on Sunday that his party hopes to form the broadest possible coalition government adding that understandings could be reached but all should offer concessions.
Shalom hoped that even the Labor party led by Ehud Barak could join this government.
Ha’aretz quoted sources close to Livni as saying that she refused the offer due to the ideological differences between the two parties.
Kadima won 28 seats in the recent Israeli parliamentary elections while Likud secured 27 but Peres asked the Likud leader to form the government on Friday because majority of other parties endorsed him for premier.
