The Likud and Yisrael Beytenu parties merging into a joint party. After secret negotiations, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, leader of Likud, and Minister of Foreign Affairs Avigdor Liberman, leader of Yisrael Beytenu, agreed to campaign with a joint list in the Knesset elections to be held in January.
Although the announcement by Netanyahu and Liberman is official, the decision to merge the parties still requires by the Likud central committee. Moshe Kahlon, chairman of the committee, has been updated about the move. He will shortly convene the committee to approve the decision, which will arouse opposition in Likud ranks since several of the party's candidates will be relegated to low positions on the list because of the addition of Israel Beitenu candidates.
Netanyahu and Liberman will hold a joint press conference in Jerusalem at 20:00 this evening. The timing Is not happenstance, as it coincides with the press conference called by Shelly Yachimovich to launch the Labor party campaign.
The joint party will be the largest in the elections and unless there are dramatic changes Netanyahu will form the next government. The setting up of the joint list will apparently be the final blow to any thoughts on the part of Ehud Olmert and Tzipi Livni of returning to politics.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on October 25, 2012
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