Peres to consult parties on prime minister pick

[Scurrilous]

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"President Shimon Peres will begin consulting with all the parties on Wednesday on who should be the next prime minister, with neither Likud chairman Benjamin Netanyahu nor Kadima chief Tzipi Livni having a clear edge.

The main question is whom Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Lieberman will recommend - and Lieberman, who has been in Belarus for the past few days and will return only this evening, is keeping his cards close to his chest. Sources close to Netanyahu say that Lieberman will recommend neither of the two candidates. Should that happen, neither would have a majority of 61 Knesset members behind them.

Livni bases her claim to the premiership on the fact that Kadima is the largest party in the next Knesset, with one more seat than Likud. Netanyahu highlights the rightist-religious bloc's 65 seats, significantly more than the center-left bloc that Livni heads.

Though Livni was still insisting last night that she would form the next government, it appears that only 28 of the Knesset's 120 MKs - those belonging to her own party - will recommend her to Peres as the next prime minister. Both Labor and Meretz, which are Kadima's natural partners, announced that they will recommend neither candidate, due mainly to Livni's efforts to form an alliance with Lieberman, whom they oppose.

Netanyahu, in contrast, will be recommended by at least 45 MKs, from Likud (27), Shas (11), National Union (4) and Habayit Hayehudi (3). He is also trying to convince United Torah Judaism's five MKs to back him, but though UTJ says it is leaning toward him, it has so far declined to commit.

The three Arab parties have said they will recommend neither candidate."

more

[Scurrilous]

1. Likud agrees to Yisrael Beiteinu's core demands

Meeting between parties' representatives results in Likud memo consenting to Avigdor Lieberman's guidelines on national loyalty, Citizenship Act, civil marriage. Both sides deem meeting a success

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3673814,00.htm

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"The Likud party sent Yisrael Beiteinu Chairman Avigdor Lieberman a memorandum Wednesday, in which is gives its general consent to the core principles declared in his campaign.

The move is said to be an attempt to sway Lieberman, whose party won 15 Knesset seats in last week's general elections, to endorse Likud Chairman Benjamin Netanyahu as the candidate most likely to be able to form a coalition.

President Shimon Peres is set to begin the premiership deliberations later Wednesday. Peres will meet with representatives from all parties prior to tasking either Netanyahu or Kadima Chairwoman Tzipi Livni with the mission.

The Likud's memorandum – phrased in very general terms – was drafted after a meeting between faction chairman Gideon Sa'ar and Yisrael Beiteinu Knesset Member Stas Misezhnikov.

"We have taken their (guideline) seriously and we expect that they will recommend the president tasks Netanyahu with forming the government," said Sa'ar."