Beilin: Meretz will join next gov't even if Sharon is premier

Yossi Beilin, head of Meretz, said Monday that his leftist party intends to be a part of the new government to take office after March elections, even if Ariel Sharon is elected to head it.

"I view the next term as a critical one regarding the question of partitioning the country," Beilin said. "We want to be there, even if we do not demand that the government accept our entire point of view."

There has been internal debate within Meretz over whether to publicly emphasize the faction's openness to joining a future government headed by Sharon, for years the object of some of the party's fiercest scorn.

But Beilin said Monday that Meretz should be forthright about stating its position. Referring to his call to be part of the next government, Beilin told Israel Radio:

"This statement of mine is part of a worldview that speaks of full transparency prior to the elections, rather than fudging before the elections, and surprising the voter the day after."

Meretz will join a Sharon government even if that coalition does not accept all of its positions, Beilin continued, as long as there is a "thaw" in the current diplomatic freeze and the government commits to a war on poverty.

	Yossi Beilin speaking to a Meretz committee meeting in Tel Aviv. (Haaretz Archive)