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Israel's Shas, Likud Sign Coalition Agreement
Negotiators from Israel's ultra- Orthodox Shas Party and right-wing Likud Party signed a general agreement Sunday evening, giving Shas five ministerial posts in Prime Minister-elect Ariel Sharon's national unity government.
Israel Radio reported that the two sides agreed to settle their remaining differences after the government is formed.
The move represents a significant progress toward the establishment of a coalition government by Sharon's Likud representatives.
Shas Chairman Eli Yishai will serve as interior minister and deputy prime minister. Shas will also get the portfolios of the Labor and Social Affairs Ministry, the Health Ministry and the Religious Affairs Ministry, as well as a minister in charge of Jerusalem affairs.
In addition, Shas will acquire three deputy ministers, one of whom will serve in the Education Ministry.
Negotiators from both parties agreed to establish a religious broadcast council in the Religious Affairs Ministry. However, the two sides remained apart on the cancellation of the law for the direct election of prime minister.
One of the terms of the coalition agreement between the Likud and the largest party of Labor was to repeal the direct election law of prime minister, which allows Israeli voters to cast two ballots -- one for prime minister and one for a political party. Shas opposes to changing the law.
Also on Sunday, the Likud ministerial line-up in Sharon's emerging unity government was becoming clearer Sunday.
Israel Radio reported that Likud Knesset (parliament) member Limor Livnat was to become the minister of Public Security and Meir Sheetrit was to be granted the education portfolio. Silvan Shalom is almost certain to get the finance portfolio.
Likud Knesset member Tzipi Livni will reportedly head the Justice Ministry, while Sharon's loyalist Reuven Rivlin will head the Communications Ministry.
Danni Naveh, who is close to former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is expected to be a Likud minister without portfolio, with the responsibility of coordinating between the government and the Knesset.
Likud negotiators stepped up the efforts to forge a coalition government Sunday following a suicide bomb attack in the coastal city of Netanya in northern Israel, which killed four people and injured more than 50 others.
Sharon, who was elected prime minister in the February 6 election, is racing against time to form a coalition government and pass the national budget for the year 2001 by the end of March. Otherwise, there will be new elections for the prime minister and the Knesset.
Sharon called for national unity on Sunday and said a unity government under his leadership will find a way to restore the sense of security to the Israeli people.
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