PM orders halt to talks after Itzik's comments

Following significant progress in coalition negotiations Thursday between the Likud and Labor parties, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon announced a freeze in contacts in angry response to comments made by Labor Party negotiation lead leader MK Dalia Itzik.

On Thursday afternoon, Itzik told Labor members that Sharon was "crawling" in order to bring Labor into his governing coalition.

Labor sources, however, said talks were frozen because the Likud had not produced any practical responses to its demands.

Earlier in the evening, Likud negotiators offered Labor eight ministerial posts, including a special deputy prime minister position for party chairman Shimon Peres. Labor was also offered the interior, national infrastructure, housing and construction, communications and tourism ministries as well as two additional ministers without portfolio. Labor was also offered three deputy ministerial positions.

In line with this proposal, 11 out of 19 Labor MKs would be ministers or deputy ministers.

Nevertheless, there were still small differences between the parties' negotiators. Labor is demanding to head either the transportation or welfare ministries rather than the Ministry of Housing and Construction it was offered by Likud.

The Likud offer to Labor came shortly after Shas announced that it would not join the coalition, citing its opposition to the disengagement plan and the lack of social provisions in the 2005 state budget.

Labor: No crumbsMeanwhile, Itzik, the head of Labor coalition negotiation team, told Israel Radio on Thursday that her party is prepared to enter the government without specific portfolios - but that since the Likud is unwilling to accept that option, her party demands control of influential ministries.

Sharon has offered Labor the Interior Ministry, as requested, as well as five other ministries and a special deputy prime ministerial slot for Labor Chairman Shimon Peres.

"You want us to join the coalition with portfolios," Itzik said about the Likud, "don't give us crumbs."

She scoffed at the "greed" in the Likud party, which she said didn't want to offend senior ministers such as Limor Livnat, Silvan Shalom or Ehud Olmert by parting with their portfolios - education, foreign affairs, and industry and trade respectively.

"You want us inside, we want to have influence," said Itzik ahead of her meeting with Raved.

Itzik told the radio that Labor does not plan to give up its principles of support for the disengagement plan, improvement of the financial situation and retention of the religious status quo.

Shas Chairman Eli Yishai made the announcement after meeting with the head of the Likud negotiating team, Yoram Raved, to discuss the distribution of portfolios in a possible coalition government.

"We do not intend to join the government since there are no significant amendments in the budget reflecting sensitivity to social issues," said Yishai.

But, said a joint statement issued by Shas and Likud, the talks with between the two parties will continue. If the political climate changes, said the statement, Shas would be able to reevaluate its stance regarding the disengagement.

Shas officials said earlier Thursday there is no doubt Sharon is interested in having the party in the coalition, but that he is not prepared to let them vote on issues related to the disengagement plan.

One possible solution would be for Shas to join the government after the January 9 Palestinian Authority elections, which are likely to be followed by meetings between Sharon and the anticipated winner, PLO leader Mahmoud Abbas.

This would allow Shas' spiritual patron, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, who is vehemently opposed to a unilateral withdrawal from Gaza and parts of the West Bank, to change his position as the disengagement would then be the outcome of dialogue with the Palestinians.

"On the political front, it is clear that the rabbi does not change his halakhic ruling," Yishai said. "Should the circumstances change, the rabbi will re-discuss the matter, but right now, in any event, we do not see any reason to keep at the negotiations and they are therefore concluded at this point."

Talks with the Ashkenazi ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism party were also to continue Thursday, following progress in negotiations the day before.

Likud MK Gideon Sa'ar, a member of his party's negotiation team, told Israel Radio that not all Labor MKs can be ministers or deputy ministers.

Nonetheless, Sa'ar added, he trusted the two sides would find a way for Labor to join the government. "I believe that at the end of the day, there will be an agreement," he said.

	Top Labor negotiator Dalia Itzik doesn't want Likud to throw her party the crumbs. (Archives)