Labor leader Defense Minister Ehud Barak seems to be willing to accept any coalition reality – all preferable to national elections. When Barak first entered into coalition talks with Premier-designate Tzipi Livni, he called on opposition leader Binyamin Netanyahu and others to enter into a broad-based emergency government. Netanyahu immediately discarded the possibility of entering into such an agreement with Livni.

Barak officials are now releasing messages that the defense minister has no objections to entering into a narrow government coalition – adding that even if he believes such a coalition will be short-lasting, he will agree to be a part of it, realizing elections is the worst of all the possibilities.

One senior official is quoted in the daily Yediot Achronot as saying, “Livni and Barak will bury us and ensure Netanyahu rises to power. A narrow government will not last.”

Effie Eitan, who heads the Pensioner’s Party, expressed his opposition to a narrow government of 60 MKs. He stated that his party prefers national elections over such a reality, stating with certainty a narrow government coalition will not be capable of living out its tenure.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel – written on isru chag in Eretz Yisrael)