Israel's Kadima calls for power-sharing deal with Likud

Israel's centrist Kadima party yesterday called for a power-sharing deal with the leader of right-wing Likud Benjamin Netanyahu amid furious haggling in the wake of tight parliamentary elections.
"A rotation is the minimum that Kadima can demand so that a stable government sees the light of day," said Avi Dichter, a Kadima member and public security minister in the outgoing government.
He was referring to a power-sharing arrangement Israel had in 1984 after another close ballot, when the two top parties each held the post of prime minister for two years.
Kadima chief and current Foreign Minister "Tzipi Livni has received the preference of public opinion and Netanyahu has to admit so. We have to have a fair equilibrium" between the two parties," Dichter said.
Netanyahu has so far rejected the rotating premiership option.
Although Kadima gained 28 seats in the next parliament in last week's general election, one more than Likud, Netanyahu is widely tipped to become the next prime minister.
Under to Israeli law, the person charged with forming a ruling 61-member coalition in the 120-seat Knesset is not necessarily the election winner but the one with the most chances of cobbling together a government.
Netanyahu, with support from fellow right-wing parties that dominated the February 10 vote, can rely on 65 seats in the chamber, whereas Livni has the backing of 44.
A purely right-wing government wound be highly unstable, however, with most observers predicting its demise within 18 months or so, and Netanyahu is thought to prefer a broad coalition that would include Kadima.
Livni has so far insisted that she should lead any unity government.
Her Kadima faction was due to meet on Sunday to consider its options, with outgoing premier Ehud Olmert urging her to go into opposition rather than join a Netanyahu-led administration.
"Go into opposition and you will steer Kadima to victory in the next elections," the local press quoted Olmert as telling Livni.
The chairman of Kadima's faction in parliament, Yoel Hasson, told the Ynet news website the party "must not enter the coalition and make an extreme-right government under Netanyahu seem kosher. That sort of government will never be able to lead a diplomatic process or change the method of government."
But should Likud offer Kadima a rotation that would "entirely change the picture. That's a completely different story."
Livni, a 50-year-old lawyer bidding to become Israel's second woman prime minister, is thought to favour becoming the opposition rather than joining a Netanyahu-led government, the Haaretz daily said.
"A majority of members are likely to back Livni's position" during the party's meeting on Sunday, it said.
If Kadima goes into opposition, Netanyahu will be forced to form a coalition with the ultra-nationalist Yisrael Beitenu of controversial Avigdor Lieberman, as well as ultra-Orthodox parties and extreme right-wing settler groups.
Such a government would put Bibi, as Netanyahu is widely called in Israel, at odds with the administration of US President Barack Obama, who has vowed to vigorously pursue Middle East peace talks, observers say.
As the political wrangling continued, Likud on Sunday urged Kadima to join a Netanyahu-led cabinet.
"It is unfortunate that Livni will not set petty politics aside and consider national interests as a top priority," it said in a statement.
Official results from the election will be published on Wednesday. President Shimon Peres then has seven days in which to consult the various factions before tasking a member of parliament with forming the next ruling coalition.