Yeah, I know, I know...I hate that stupid "BREAKING" business too, but here it is actually appropriate.
About half an hour ago, with CNN confirming with a blurb on their home page, Yedioth Ahronoth, Israel's largest newspaper, reported that Israeli President Shimon Peres will ask Likud Party leader Benjamin Netanyahu to form a government. This is quite a blow for those of us hoping for a Kadima-led coalition.
More after the flip...
Yedioth reports:
President Shimon Peres has decided to task Likud Chairman Benjamin Netanyahu with forming the next government. Peres will inform Netanyahu of the decision in a meeting at the presidential residence at 2:15 pm Friday afternoon.
Earlier, President Peres met separately with Netanyahu and Kadima Chairman Tzipi Livni after formal consultations between the president and the faction representatives have ended.
Peres urged both leaders to form a broad national unity government that will include both Likud and Kadima.
It's the last paragraph that gives me pause. While most of us were resigned to the fact that Tzipi Livni's Kadima party would face long odds in forming a government, there are competing schools of thought on whether Kadima should lead the loyal opposition, or join the coalition. On one hand, Kadima in the coalition means that the intransigent Yisrael Beitenu party, led by Avigdor Lieberman, would not need to be part of the governing coalition. On the downside, it would mean joining with Netanyahu, and not trying to rally supporters of an agreement with the Palestinians.
UPDATE
Haaretz reports that FM Livni has restated her opposition to joining Likud:
Netanyahu, who was prime minister in the 1990s, would then have six weeks to forge a coalition cabinet.
Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni earlier on Friday reiterated that her centrist Kadima party will likely join the opposition and not sit in a right-wing coalition headed by Netanyahu.
"A broad coalition has no value if it does not lead the way," said Livni after meeting with President Shimon Peres.
"There is a coalition here based on a lack of political vision," said Livni, "a coalition that will not allow me to exercise the way of Kadima."