PM, Mofaz to form unity gov't, canceling early elections
By GIL HOFFMAN The Jerusalem Post 05/08/2012 02:16
http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPolitics/Article.aspx?id=269078

Netanyahu, opposition leader strike deal that will draw Kadima into the
coalition; Kadima, Likud factions approve agreement despite some opposition;
Kadima tasked with leading c'tee on alternative Tal Law.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and opposition leader Shaul Mofaz met
Monday in order to form a national unity government that would postpone
early elections at the last minute.

The Likud and Kadima factions began emergency meetings after 2:00 a.m. to
discuss developments, with Likud and Kadima eventually approving the deal
that will bring Netanyahu's government more political stability.

"We got important things," a Mofaz associate said. "If we wanted portfolios,
we would have gotten them."

The deal passed unanimously in the Kadima faction.

Netanyahu - who arrived at the Likud meeting along with his former chief of
staff Natan Eshel - told the Likud faction that contact with Mofaz over
forming a unity government began a few days ago and bore fruit. Eshel
apparently played a role in brokering the deal.

The agreement stipulates that Kadima will not topple the government until
the official end of its term on October 22 2013. Mofaz - who replaced Tzipi
Livni just last month as the Kadima party head - will also become vice
premier, and will fill in for the prime minister when he is abroad.

Kadima will lead a committee that will work towards approving an alternative
to the Tal Law - which allows ultra-Orthodox men to indefinitely defer army
service - by the August 1 deadline. In addition, the party will also work
towards changing the government system by the end of the year.

While the Likud faction approved the agreement, not all of the party's
representatives backed the deal.

"Why are we giving Kadima a lifeline after it was bleeding to death," one
minister asked.

Netanyahu and Mofaz will hold a press conference Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. in
the Knesset to clarify details surrounding the deal.

Earlier Monday evening, as Netanyahu and Mofaz made progress, deliberations
on approving early elections were purposefully filibustered.

Less than few hours before the sudden development, a bill to dissolve the
Knesset passed a vote in Knesset House Committee with 12 voting in favor and
one opposed late Monday night, after the Knesset voted to approve the bill.

Independence MK Einat Wilf was the only committee member to vote down the
bill, which was set be sent immediately to the plenum for second and third
readings.

The vote followed a stormy committee meeting where MKs asked repeatedly why
the Knesset was moving to dismantle itself now.

"Please help explain to my children why we are going to an election," Kadima
MK Yisrael Hasson asked.

If Netanyahu wants elections so badly, then why does he not open polls
tomorrow morning at 7:00 a.m., Shas MK Nissim Ze'ev questioned.

"I am shocked to see so many MKs vote like sheep going to slaughter," Ze'ev
said. "If this crazy vote was by secret ballot, it would fall."

Jpost.com staff contributed to this report