UTJ: Sages to Rule if West Bank Withdrawal is an Obstacle or Not
Excerpts;
The United Torah Judaism ultra-Orthodox faction completed its first round of coalition talks with Kadima on Monday, and its legislators expressed their satisfaction with negotiations.
Party negotiators MKs Moshe Gafni, Ya’akov Litzman and Menachem Porush said they came out of the negotiations with the impression that Kadima wants them to join the government, and that they believe all the disagreements would be resolved.
One of the major stumbling blocks is Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s convergence plan for evacuating most West Bank settlements. Gafni said that the party’s spiritual leaders, rabbinical sages, would have to decide on whether this plan prevents the party from joining the government.
Lieberman: There is No Benefit to Unilateral Moves
Full Text;
As coalition talks move forward, Yisrael Beitenu leader Avigdor Lieberman told Galei Tzahal (Army) Radio, Monday morning, that at present Israel does not have a negotiating partner in the Palestinian Authority (PA).
Lieberman stated that what is relevant however is the requirement that any borders set by Israel must be recognized by the international community, namely the Quartet forum which includes the United States, the European Union, the United Nations and Russia.
Lieberman explained that unilateral moves do not produce results unless the international community agrees to recognize Israel’s final status borders that result from those moves, despite the moves being void of PA involvement.
Lieberman stated that he supports a “political process” that results in a give-and-take process, but opposes any one-sided Israeli moves.
The Yisrael Beitenu leader reemphasized he will not back down from demands that he receive the Public Security portfolio, stating he wishes to launch a major assault against organized crime in Israel. He stated there would be no compromise on his ministerial demand as well as a number of other issues.
Commentary;
So, will Olmert’s expulsion plan jeopardize forming a coalition, or is this just more posturing? This author is cynical about both Gimmel and Lieberman.
Lieberman makes valid points why any unilateral move makes no sence without ironclad, irreverseable agreements containing unequivocal, straight-forward, irreversable wording with the US and the EU regarding final borders. Anything less is just phoney smoke and mirrors. The plan fact is that such agreements will not happen.
And Gimmel and Yisrael Beitenu are about the money and political stepping stones respectively. As has been written many times before; No profiles in courage here! MB