Israeli PM says he will not sit in unity government with Zionist Union

[webfact]

Israeli PM says he will not sit in unity government with Zionist Union

JERUSALEM, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in an interview to an Israeli TV channel he will not agree to be in a unity government with the center-left Zionist Union, which is gaining a lead on Netanyahu's Likud party ahead of the March 17 elections.

Netanyahu told the Channel 2 news on Thursday evening that there is a "definite risk" if he will not be prime minister following the upcoming elections, with recent polls giving the Zionist Union party 24 seats out of 120 in Israeli parliament, compared to 21 seats for the Likud.

The prime minister said there is "no option" for a unity government with the Zionist Union, led by Labor chief Isaac Herzog, in which both will serve as prime ministers in rotation.

"There's a clear choice between the two paths. I will not serve as prime minister in a rotation and this situation needs to be prevented," he said.

Asked about the soaring costs of living and housing crisis made public by a recent comptroller's report, Netanyahu admitted he did not do enough to solve the problem and said he would continue to work on it after re-elected as prime minister.

The Israeli prime minister had refused to be interviewed since January and also refused to attend a televised debate with Herzog.

Full story: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2015-03/13/c_134062634.htm

-- Xinhua 2015-03-13

[hard124get]

Let's hope he suffers a similar ending to Ariel Sharon.

[dexterm]

Personally I wouldn't want the influence of Netanyahu and Likud in any future Israeli government if there is to be a real chance of peace in a 2 state solution, but Israel's system of proportional representation and horsetrading after an election makes for some strange bedfellows and many empty rhetorical threats forgotten.

[Seastallion]

" Asked about the soaring costs of living and housing crisis made public by a recent comptroller's report, Netanyahu admitted he did not do enough to solve the problem and said he would continue to work on it after re-elected as prime minister."

Oh oh.....Sounds like diplomatic talk for "I didn't encroach on enough of the West Bank, external pressures ya know, but I will build more settlements if you elect me".

24 seats vs 21. The proportional representation of Israel is a clumsy method that contributes to dragging issues out. Hopefully a fully left/Arab coalition will win the day.

Edited March 13, 2015 by Seastallion

[Srikcir]

It would serve the US Republican Congressmen justice that Netanyahu isn't re-elected PM after his grandstand in the US. Obama could lament not having the opportunity to meet Netanyahu once more before Obama's term ends.

[Chicog]

It would serve the US Republican Congressmen justice that Netanyahu isn't re-elected PM after his grandstand in the US. Obama could lament not having the opportunity to meet Netanyahu once more before Obama's term ends.

It would be absolutely hilarious.

[chuckd]

Source: Senate panel probing ‎possible Obama administration ties to anti-Netanyahu effort

By Steven Edwards

Published March 14, 2015

A powerful U.S. Senate investigatory committee has launched a bipartisan probe into an American nonprofit’s funding of efforts to oust Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after the Obama administration’s State Department gave the nonprofit taxpayer-funded grants, a source with knowledge of the panel's activities told FoxNews.com.

The fact that both Democratic and Republican sides of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations have signed off on the probe could be seen as a rebuke to President Obama, who has had a well-documented adversarial relationship with the Israeli leader.

The development comes as Netanyahu told Israel’s Channel Two television station this week that there were “governments” that wanted to help with the “Just Not Bibi” campaigning -- Bibi being the Israeli leader’s nickname.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/03/14/senate-committee-probes-whether-obama-administration-funded-effort-to-oust/

[konying]

Personally I wouldn't want the influence of Netanyahu and Likud in any future Israeli government if there is to be a real chance of peace in a 2 state solution, but Israel's system of proportional representation and horsetrading after an election makes for some strange bedfellows and many empty rhetorical threats forgotten.

Haha

As if you and your buddy seastallion actually have a clue about Israeli political system or parties.