Jerusalem, Feb 24: Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Likud Party has secured the support of the centre-right Shinui Party to form a coalition government and formally signed a deal early today, a Shinui official said on Israeli public radio. Under the latest deal Shinui, which won 15 parliamentary seats in last month's general election, will be given five cabinet portfolios - justice, interior, national infrastructures, environment and technology and science, the radio said. Also, Shinui leader Yossef Tommy Lapid will become Deputy Prime Minister.
Likud, which secured 40 of the 120 parliamentary seats at the election, had already signed a deal yesterday with the hardline National Religious Party (NRP), which Represents Jewish settlers and holds six seats. Those two deals thereby create a Likud-led coalition controlling the slimmest of parliamentary majorities, 61 seats out of 120.
Shinui official Yossi Paristsky said, "The coalition government being formed is firmly engaged in the peace process with the Palestinians." He added that the creation of a Palestinian state will not be specifically mentioned in the government programme. But added that it remains bound by Israel's international engagements, notably on the Oslo Accords," of 1993 on Palestinian Autonomy.
Bureau Report