Israel Waits for Decision

By Joel C. Rosenberg

Israelis are waiting for President Shimon Peres’ decision regarding which Member of Knesset (MK) is most likely to be able to form a stable governing coalition. Already, 50 MKs have told Peres they are backing Likud’s Benjamin Netanyahu to be the next Prime Minister. Only 28 MKs have told Peres they back Kadima’s Tzipi Livni. One of the big questions at this point concerns who Avigdor Lieberman and his Israeli Beiteinu party will back. Lieberman is expected to return to Israel tonight from a vacation in Minsk and is scheduled to meet Peres Thursday morning.