Ariel Sharon signs up secular Shinui party to coalition скачать в хорошем качестве

Ariel Sharon signs up secular Shinui party to coalition

(24 Feb 2003) 1. Exterior Knesset 2. Parliament members walking in Knesset hall 3. SOUNDBITE: (English) Yosef Lapid, Shinui leader: " I received today at four o'clock in the morning a letter from Prime Minister Sharon assuring us that he will continue negotiations with the Palestinians on reaching a peace agreement along the Bush plan, after we have reached an agreement with the Americans about the particulars of this plan." 4. Lapid with journalists 5. Gila Finkelstein with press 6. SOUNDBITE (English) Gila Finkelstein, National Religious party Knesset member: "We can manage with Shinui and we are happy about it because we know that so many people voted for Shinui that means that many people agree with the ideas of Shinui and we have to take it into account because this is our nation. So altogether we are going to be a happy nation and a united one. 7. Cutaway 8. SOUNDBITE (English) Gila Finkelstein, National Religious party Knesset member: "We don't want to evacuate any settlement and we don't want a Palestinian state." 9. Corridor of Knesset with people 10. Establisher Tamir 11. SOUNDBITE (English) Yuli Tamir, Labour Party member: "We didn't join the government because we couldn't find a basic agreement on what seems to us the most important issue of all, the future of the state of Israel regarding both the negotiations with the Palestinians and also the socio-economic policies, there was such a gap we couldn't enter the government." 12 .Long shot Knesset hall STORYLINE: Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon signed up the secularist Shinui party on Monday, completing the formation of a right-leaning coalition that will likely make it difficult to move toward the establishment of a Palestinian state and could redefine the role of religion in the state. The deal with Shinui gives Sharon control over 61 of the 120 seats in parliament, the minimum he needs to run the government. On Sunday, the pro-settlement National Religious Party, which opposes the establishment of a Palestinian state, joined a Sharon government. The coalition agreement is vague on how to solve the conflict with the Palestinians. Coalition negotiators said it is based on a December speech in which Sharon called for the eventual establishment of a Palestinian state, but did not explicitly say he would dismantle Jewish settlements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Shinui is more moderate than the Likud or the NRP and supports the eventual creation of a Palestinian state. However, Shinui leader Yosef Lapid has said there is no point in resuming peace talks as long as Yasser Arafat is the Palestinian leader and attacks on Israelis continue. Shinui believes reaching a peace agreement is secondary to what it considers Israel's most pressing problem - perceived religious coercion and the disproportionate influence of ultra-Orthodox parties because of their longtime role as kingmakers in Israeli politics. The party nearly tripled its representation, from six to 15 parliament seats, in January's election. The agreement allowed Sharon to avoid committing to specific steps toward resuming peace talks. Sharon's talks with the leader of the moderate Labour party, Amram Mitzna, broke down over his refusal to put in writing some of the painful concessions he claims he is prepared to make. Israeli media reported that Sharon was also close to agreement with the National Union, an ultranationalist bloc that includes members who favour expelling Palestinians from Israeli-ruled areas. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...