Silvan Shalom, who is working behind the scenes to secure himself the foreign ministry post in the incoming administration is also working to persuade Labor to enter the government.

Shalom and party leader Binyamin Netanyahu can be equated to fire and water, rarely getting along or working together. In the party primary election, Shalom did not land the number 2 slot as he did in the past, and is now concerned about securing the foreign ministry slot, which Netanyahu has hinted he will receive, but has always fallen short of an outright commitment.

Shalom realizes that if the Labor Party makes a deal to join the coalition, then Ehud Barak would continue serving as defense minister. As such, the foreign ministry would remain in Likud’s hands since it is unlikely that it would give both senior posts to other parties. He hopes such an arrangement would secure him the slot that he desperately seeks once again.

Senior Laborites however are exhibiting different intentions, releasing statements that the voter has spoken and they are compelled to adhere to the decision of the party supporters and head for opposition. Barak on the other hand would love to enter the coalition since if Kadima remains in opposition, he will be a regular MK, nothing more, since Kadima is larger so Tzipi Livni would be opposition leader. Securing a coalition deal would promise Barak the defense portfolio.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)