A group of Labor party ministers in Israel's outgoing cabinet have dropped a previous veto on participating in a government of national unity alongside extreme-right parties, reported Haaretz newspaper, quoting Israel’s military radio.
But the group said their agreement hinged on Prime Minister-elect Ariel Sharon committing himself to blocking any attempt by the far right to push for moving Palestinians to other Arab countries.
They also said he had to block any discriminatory measures against Israeli Arabs, Haaretz said.
Sharon, head of the right-wing Likud party, has been trying to put together a cabinet including Labor, but has warned that if that party does not join, he will form a cabinet with the extreme right.
Outgoing premier Ehud Barak, who announced Tuesday that he was dropping out of politics and would not take up the previously agreed post of defense minister under Sharon, had consistently objected to a cabinet including the far right.
Labor's central committee is due to decide on Monday on its inclusion in a Sharon-led government.
Labour ministers, said the paper, must now submit a list of proposed members of the new cabinet, which will be voted on Monday by the Labor party's central committee.
Meanwhile, Sharon has ordered his delegation in unity talks with the Labor not to give up on the finance ministry, said Haaretz.
Until Barak announced Tuesday his resignation, it appeared certain Labor ministers would get the defense and foreign portfolios in a unity government.
But with Barak out of the picture, there is a growing demand in Labor that it push for the treasury over the defense ministry, the paper added.
Reports said Wednesday that Sharon offered the defense post to Shimon Peres.
They added that Peres was considering the post, but aides close to the right-wing leader denied that he offered the post to the Labor minister.
Inside the Labor party, however, there are many who now want to trade in the defense offer from Sharon for the treasury.
SHARON PRESSING WITH DIPLOMATIC OFFENSIVE
Meanwhile, Sharon is pressing ahead with his diplomatic offensive to explain his positions for the US and the European Union (EU), reported The Jerusalem Post newspaper Thursday.
Sharon, said the paper, met with his senior advisory team Wednesday to discuss preparations for the visit by US Secretary of State Colin Powell, who is scheduled to arrive on Saturday.
The paper added that Sharon’s aide, Zalman Shoval, left Wednesday night for one day of talks in Germany, and former foreign ministry director-general, Eytan Bentsur, will head for Turkey within the week.
Shoval returned from talks with administration officials in Washington earlier this week, and Bentsur recently returned from talks with leaders in Moscow and London.
The high-level talks with Powell will be the initial steps by two new governments that would take a different approach than previous administrations, Sharon spokesman, Ra'anan Gissin, told the paper.
"Both parties agree that previous efforts have failed. We are looking for a different way to achieve peace," Gissin said. "Both sides have abandoned the Clinton approach to peace."
On the agenda for the talks between Powell and Sharon in their meeting on Sunday will be the current threats to the stability of the region, a new approach to the tattered Israeli-Palestinian peace process, and the expansion of strategic relations between Israel and the US, said the Post – Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
