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Writethru: Israeli PM joins forces with hardline legislator to expand coalition

Xinhua, May 25, 2016 Adjust font size:

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signed Wednesday a political deal with the ultranationalist Yisrael Beytenu ("Israel Our Home") party to expand his governing coalition.

Under the deal, Avigdor Lieberman, the hardline leader of Yisrael Beytenu, will be appointed as the defense minister, and Sofa Landver, a lawmaker member of his party, will assume the position of immigrant absorption minister, a role she previously held.

The new partnership is expected to add five members to Netanyahu's slim majority coalition, broadening its lead from 61-59 to 66-54, if the Knesset (parliament) will approve the change, as expected.

The pair, previously bitter political rivals, signed the agreement in a broadcast ceremony in Jerusalem.

"We are joining hands now to march Israel forward," Netanyahu said in the broadcast statement.

"I am committed to promoting the peace process," he said in a bid to sooth fears of the new far-right alliance. "I am committed to make every effort to reach an agreement," he said, adding "My policy has not changed."

Lieberman echoed him, saying he will be a "balanced" minister and pledging his commitment to "responsible, reasonable policy."

Netanyahu also called on Isaac Herzog, the leader of the opposition and the head of the center-left Zionist Union, to join the coalition, saying a wider government will be more "stable."

Lieberman's and Landver's swearing in ceremony is expected to be held next Monday, with Netanyahu still holding the foreign affairs portfolio.

Also on Wednesday, Naftali Bennet, leader of the far-right faction of the Jewish Home, threatened that his party will vote against the approval of the new partners if Netanyahu will not appoint a security secretary to the cabinet.

Bennet accused Netanyahu of excluding the ministers of important security decisions, a trend he fears to intensify with the appointment of Lieberman.

Lieberman, a 57-year-old settler known for his hardline on security issues, is one of the most controversial figures in Israeli politics. His appointment sparked concerns among centrist and left-wing politicians, who warned that the government is going in a dangerous direction.

The new government was widely seen as the most right-wing government in Israel's history. It consists of the right-wing Likud ruling party, the pro-settler far-right Jewish Home party, the two Jewish ultra-Orthodox parties, and Kulanu, a center-right party that its leader holds the finance portfolio.

Lieberman will replace Moshe Ya'alon, who resigned on Friday saying "extremists have taken over Israel."

Lieberman, who is a Jewish immigrant from Russia and many of his supporters are of Russian decedent, secured in the deal 1.4 billion shekels (about 360 million U.S. dollars) for increasing the pension stipends of Russian veterans.

The agreement was achieved after a week-long intensive negotiation. Endit