Israel

Shas pullout means Livni may call for election

Article published on the 2008-10-24 Latest update 2008-10-24 14:53 TU

Tzipi Livni.
(Photo : Reuters)

The ultra-orthodox Shas party has called off negotiations with Israel’s largest party, Kadima, leaving its new leader Tzipi Livni without a coalition partner. Livni says that she will call on the president to call an election if she isn't able to form a government by Sunday.

Legally, Livni has another ten days to form a government but following the Shas pullout, she says she will only wait till Sunday before announcing whether she has been successful. If she is not, President Shimon Peres may ask another MP to do so, or he could call elections.

The Shas party reported that negotiations broke down over two issues, the status of Jerusalem and welfare benefits. A Shas spokesperson reported that the party asked for only two things, “real financial help for the weak in Israeli society and protection for Jerusalem … which is not merchandise for sale”.

Livni, now Foreign Minister, took over the leadership of Kadima last month, after Ehud Olmert resigned amid corruption charges.

Livni is committed to continuing peace negotiations with Palestinian authorities, who consider Jerusalem their capital. Shas and other hardline Israelis demand that the city, which was seized by Israel along with the West Bank in 1967, is established as the undivided capital of Israel.

“The question is whether Livni at a certain point would like to form a government that could get additional support from the Arab members of the Knesset [parliament], who may not be members of the government, but could give some external support to such a government – or whether she would go for elections,” says correspondent Elias Zananieri.

A minority government would be very fragile, and this could push Livni to call elections to seek a wider coalition “along the path of Ehud Olmert’s policy with the Palestinians,” Zananieri told RFI.

Polls suggest that the right-wing opposition Likud Party would gain seats if an election were held today.