President of the State of Israel Ezer Weizman said today that, in the present circumstances, MK Arieh Deri cannot be a member of the Israeli government.
Weizman stressed that there was no difference between one person and another, and the law included Deri as well.
One Israel party leader MK Ehud Barak repeated his promise today not to negotiate a coalition with Deri. Barak sharply criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for not taking a clear stand regarding Deri.
However, Barak noted that he does rule out Shas as a party, only Deri, as long as his conviction remains unchanged at the Supreme Court.
MK Hagai Merom called on Center Party leaders to disassociate themselves from Deri, and to conduct no negotiations with him.
MKs Amnon Rubinstein and Ran Cohen are demanding an urgent convening of the Knesset Committee, to decide on suspending Deri from his membership of the Knesset.
Published by Israel's Business Arena April 18, 1999