At least six of the Labor faction members have openly called on party leader Shelly Yacimovich to enter into coalition talks with Likud/Beitenu. After meeting with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu last week Yacimovich stated the gap between her position and Likud�s on social economic issues was simply too great. Nevertheless, it appears the party leader is unaware that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu prefers her as a coalition partner over Yesh Atid and Bayit Yehudi.

Yacimovich admits to the mounting pressure from within her party, from the veteran members, who realize they have a more realistic chance of implementing change from within than from the benches of the opposition. The major stumbling block is Yacimovich�s statement during the elections, that she would not enter into a coalition headed by Netanyahu due to his fiscal hashkafa, which is radically different from Labor�s socialist leanings.

She reminds her colleagues via the media �Remember the shame and embarrassment of Labor in the coalition after Ehud Barak entered the government. That was a moral error in judgment. We became chair warmers instead of serving as a viable alternative in opposition.�

(YWN � Israel Desk, Jerusalem)