Emanuel, Axelrod closely monitoring reports on Israeli factions
Wednesday, August 19, 2009 E-Mail this story Free Headline Alerts
WASHINGTON Ñ The administration of President Barack Obama expects Israel to undergo a major government reshuffle that would significantly reduce the influence of supporters of Jewish settlement in the West Bank.
Sources close to the administration said Obama has received messages that the government of Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu could order a Cabinet shakeup and restructuring of his coalition over the next few weeks.
They said the shakeup would be sparked by the indictment of Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman on corruption charges, Middle East Newsline reported.
"Senior administration officials have been told that the indictment of Lieberman is imminent and then everything will change," a source close to the White House said.
The sources said the White House has been closely monitoring political developments in Netanyahu's Cabinet amid tense relations between Jerusalem and Washington. They said Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and White House senior adviser David Axelrod have received daily reports on the stability of the Israeli government ahead of U.S. plans to release a Middle East peace initiative in September 2009.
"The administration has concluded that the only way out of the settlement deadlock is for an expansion of the Israeli government coalition by centrist elements," the source said.
Under the scenario relayed to the White House, Lieberman would resign from office immediately after his indictment. At that point, the sources said, Netanyahu would invite the opposition Kadima, the largest party in the Knesset, to join the coalition.
The sources said some members of Kadima, particularly chairman Tzipi Livni, were not expected to join the Netanyahu government. But the majority of the 28-member Kadima parliamentary faction, led by Ms. Livni's rival, Shaul Mofaz, would enter the coalition and replace some of the right-wing ministers.
Under the scenario, Mofaz would be appointed defense minister, the sources said. The current defense minister, Ehud Barak, regarded as the most fervent supporter of Obama in Netanyahu's Cabinet, was expected to agree to assume the post of foreign minister.
The sources said the government reshuffle would marginalize the influence of ministers who support Jewish settlement in the West Bank. Lieberman, a resident of the Jewish community of Nokdim, was said to have opposed Obama's demand for the demolition of more than 100 Jewish outposts in the West Bank.
Still, the administration has succeeded in winning an Israeli agreement to suspend all Jewish construction in the West Bank until early 2010, the sources said. But the White House wants the suspension to extend until through 2011 as the United States accelerates efforts to establish a Palestinian state.
The sources said Netanyahu, whose defiance of Obama has been supported by most Israelis, was not expected to announce a settlement freeze unless it was part of a comprehensive Middle East plan. But they said the entry of Kadima in the Cabinet would be likely to further soften Netanyahu's position.
"The Israeli government has taken discussions with us very seriously," Obama said on Aug. 18.