Labour to receive 7 portfolios

Coalition negotiations between Kadima, Labor Party gain momentum: In secret meeting Thursday night between PM Ehud Olmert, Labor Chairman Amir Peretz, parties agree Labor to receive defense, education, agriculture ministries

Attila Somfalvi

Dramatic progress in coalition talks: In a secret meering Thursday night, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Labor Party Chairman Amir Peretz two agreed that Labor would receive seven portfolios in the new government, including the defense, education and agriculture ministries. The Finance Ministry will remain in the hands of Kadima.

The secret meeting was first published by Israel Radio Saturday morning.

As the negotiations between Labor and Kadima progressed, Labor officials expressed their fear that the party would have to settle
for a smaller number of portfolios than expected – five or six. According to the agreement, however, Labor will have seven ministers, including a minister without a portfolio.

A senior Labor source told Ynet: "We achieved great accomplishments, both on the basic guidelines and on the portfolio level. The talks will continue and the negotiations have not come to an end. Not everything has been settled, but all the issues are at some stage or another of agreement, and according to estimations, everything will be agreed upon shortly."

More at;
Ynet

Amir Peretz will certainly work hard to achieve the best for Israelis and Palestinians. The more power and influence he has, the better. Certainly, I wish that he could do more, but I'm glad that he can do this much.

For eg, I hope he isn't anything like the previous Labour defense minister, Ben-Eliezer;

'Binyamin Ben-Eliezer: Pragmatic politician

For most of his time as defence minister in Ariel Sharon's government of national unity, Binyamin Ben-Eliezer appeared to be quite at home.

His tough stance on security issues was similar to Mr Sharon's.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/1731059.stm

· Labour leader Peretz in charge of armed forces
· Coalition will focus on West Bank pullback

Conal Urquhart in Tel Aviv
Monday April 24, 2006
The Guardian

Israel is to have a civilian prime minister and a civilian defence minister for the first time after it emerged that the Labour leader, Amir Peretz, would head the armed forces.

Coalition negotiations have been going on for almost a month but the two main parties, Kadima and Labour, agreed on the division of posts over the weekend. The government's priority policy will be the evacuation of dozens of settlements in the West Bank.

Labour will have the education and defence portfolios and Kadima will have finance, interior and foreign affairs, according to reports leaked to the Israeli media. Negotiations are continuing with other parties.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,,1759963,00.html