Special report: Palestine-Israel Relations

Israel's Foreign Minister and Prime Minister-designate Tzipi Livni (L) and Speaker of the Parliament Dalia Itzik attend a Kadima party gathering in Petah Tikva near Tel Aviv Oct. 23, 2008. (Xinhua, File Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    JERUSALEM, Oct. 25 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister-designate Tzipi Livni will announce on Sunday her decision to call for an early general election, Israeli news service Ynet reported Saturday night.

    The woman leader of the ruling Kadima party is scheduled to meet with President Shimon Peres on Sunday, when the report said she will inform the latter that she has failed to form a new coalition and propose to hold snap elections.

    The current foreign minister, who legally has nine days to cobble together a new government, made her decision following intense consultations with her advisors and close associates over the weekend, said the report, adding that she fears her image could be undermined should she continue to engage in negotiations and face political extortion attempts by potential coalition partners.

    On Friday, Israel's third largest party by number of parliamentary seats, the ultra-Orthodox Shas Party, announced that it would not join a Livni-led cabinet, giving a strong blow to Livni's cabinet-making efforts and drastically crushing her hope to build a wide ruling coalition.

    Following Shas' boycott, Livni might still manage to secure a parliamentary majority, although thinner, with some smaller parties, as talks with them seem bearing fruit. Yet Shas has vowed to vote against such a cabinet, and some Kadima lawmakers has also voiced their opposition.

    Earlier this month, Kadima initialed a coalition agreement with the second largest party Labor. However, Labor chief Ehud Barak, reported local daily Ha'aretz, has told Livni that a narrow coalition would be problematic.

    By law, should Livni fail in her cabinet-making task, Peres might assign the mission to a second and even a third lawmaker. If all the efforts go futile, the parliament will automatically dissolve itself, and snap elections will be held within 90 days.

    Should Israel go to an early general election, recent polls showed that the current main opposition party Likud would become the biggest winner, while a latest survey also found that the three-year-old Kadima would possibly win with a wafer-thin edge over Likud.

    The political turmoil in Israel casts a shadow over its peace talks with the Palestinians. Palestinian officials have been complaining that Israel's political uncertainty represents a major blockade along the already sluggish peace process.

    Little tangible progress has been achieved since the Palestinian and Israeli leaders promised last November to reach a comprehensive peace deal within 2008, and an early general election might blow away any remaining hope for the two neighbors to realize that ambitious goal.

    Till the next government is established, outgoing premier Ehud Olmert, who has been enveloped in a series of corruption and fraud scandals, will remain in power with his caretaker cabinet.

Israel's third largest party says not to join Livni's cabinet

    JERUSALEM, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister-designate Tzipi Livni received a strong blow in her cabinet-making efforts on Friday, as the third largest party closed the door on the ruling Kadima party leader.

    The leadership of the Shas party, the Council of Torah Sages, decided not to join a new government led by Livni, said the ultra-Orthodox party in a statement, quoted by local news service Ynet, adding that Livni would not meet its demands. Full story

Livni granted extension for government formation

Israel's Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni (L) talks with President Shimon Peres at the president's official residence in Jerusalem Oct. 20, 2008 in this picture released by the Israeli Government Press Office (GPO).  (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

  JERUSALEM, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Israeli President Shimon Peres on Monday granted Kadima leader Tzipi Livni an extension of 14 days to finalize the formation of her new government.

    Livni arrived at the President's Residence at around 1100 a.m. (0900 GMT) and met with Peres for an hour and 20 minutes, reported the website of local daily Yedioth Ahronoth. Full story

Livni promises continued talks with Palestinians

Israeli President Shimon Peres (R) shakes hands with Foreign Minister and newly-elected ruling Kadima party leader Tzipi Livni during a press conference in Jerusalem, Sept. 22, 2008. Livni on Monday night officially received a presidential mandate to form a new government.  (Xinhua/Yin Bogu) Photo Gallery>>>

    JERUSALEM, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Foreign Minister and new Kadima leader Tzipi Livni Tuesday met chief Palestinian negotiator Ahmed Qurei for the first time since she was entrusted with the task of forming a government, local daily The Jerusalem Post reported.

    Qurei was quoted as saying that Livni assured him that the Israeli-Palestinian talks would continue while she puts together her coalition. Full story