This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

021511Z May 06

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 001728 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR IS GOI INTERNAL
SUBJECT: OLMERT'S NARROW COALITION GOVERNMENT: ROOM TO GROW? 
 
REF: TEL AVIV 1617 
 
This message is Sensitive But Unclassified.  Please treat 
accordingly. 
 
¶1. (U) Summary:  Israel's 31st government, comprising 25 
ministers from the Kadima, Labor, Shas and the Pensioners 
parties, is scheduled to be sworn into office on May 4, after 
Acting Prime Minister Olmert presents his Cabinet to the 
Knesset.  At that time, Olmert will announce the basic lines 
of his government's policy and the composition and 
distribution of functions among the ministers, and ask for an 
expression of confidence from the full Knesset.  It remains 
entirely possible that Olmert will add additional coalition 
partners -- such as UTJ (the other ultra-orthodox party), 
rightist Yisrael Beiteinu, or left-wing Meretz.  His proposed 
Cabinet list (see para 4 below) includes some nominees of 
relatively lower stature who could be asked, in the greater 
interest of forming a stronger government, to step aside, 
allowing Olmert flexibility to incorporate one or more 
additional parties in the government at the last minute or 
down the road.  End Summary. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
What does it mean?  Not necessarily finished business ... 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
 
¶2. (SBU)  Described by one pundit as the "broadest narrow 
government ever established," Olmert's proposed government is 
decidedly centrist -- and civilian -- in composition.  Labor 
Party Chairman Amir Peretz will lead the Defense Ministry, 
resulting in a political demotion for Shaul Mofaz, the 
current office-holder and the lone retired general officer in 
Olmert's cabinet, to the Transportation Ministry.  Olmert's 
government includes the largest ultra-orthodox religious 
party, Shas, at the cost of substantial, promised budgetary 
handouts for its constituents, but no ministerial portfolios 
that would allow Shas to meddle with West Bank policy 
matters.  Pursuant to its coalition agreement, Shas's 
commitment to convergence policy is ambiguous, but its 
participation in Olmert's government is already viewed by the 
right-wing National Religious Party as betrayal of the 
settler cause of Greater Israel. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) While Olmert still hopes to bring rightist Yisrael 
Beiteinu on board as an additional inoculation against 
right-wing threats, he does not have much to offer its party 
leader, Avigdor Lieberman, who had sought the Internal 
Security Ministry, but was barred from this appointment due 
to an ongoing police investigation.  Olmert may yet entice 
Lieberman with another portfolio, and that possibility may 
explain Olmert's reluctance to recruit the left-wing Meretz 
party, whose leader says he will not join a coalition that 
includes Yisrael Beiteinu.  More likely than either of these 
coalition expansion options is a deal with United Torah 
Judaism (UTJ), whose leaders Olmert knows well from his time 
as mayor of Jerusalem.  Moreover, UTJ's price -- deputy 
ministers and additional social benefits, but no Cabinet 
slots -- may be worth it to Olmert, who could nonetheless 
offer UTJ Chairman Litzman the Social Welfare position that 
Olmert has retained thus far.  Independence Day (May 3) 
barbecues and gatherings will provide Olmert and his 
transition team with some additional time to do political 
footwork in advance of the May 4 Knesset session. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Olmert's government is not the largest in Israeli 
history -- Sharon's first government comprised 28 ministers 
-- but it could expand if additional parties join his 
coalition.  Olmert could also reshuffle portfolios, including 
by asking some nominees of relatively lower stature to step 
aside, reapportion the number of ministries per party, or 
re-negotiate with Labor the no-deputy-ministers decision. 
Several non-ministerial appointments and responsibilities 
were also announced to satisfy various political appetites, 
some of which could be hived off to accommodate the needs of 
newcomers.  Kadima's most right-wing MK, Tzachi Hanegbi, 
secured the chairmanship of the Knesset Committee on Foreign 
Affairs and Security, a prestigious assignment that spared 
Olmert from a confrontation with the Attorney General over a 
ministerial appointment for someone under investigation. 
Former Labor MK and current Kadima MK Dalia Itzik secured the 
Knesset speaker slot, a female first in a Knesset with even 
fewer women than the 16th Knesset.  Nearly all of the 
ministry assignments are ministerial retreads in one capacity 
or another, the only new blood coming from Avi Dichter in 
Kadima, Yuli Tamir in Labor, Ariel Atias of Shas, and Yacov 
Ben Yizri of the Pensioners.  No Israeli-Arab MKs were 
offered ministerial posts. 
 
KADIMA MINISTERS (12) 
 
Ehud Olmert, Prime Minister and Acting Minister of Social 
Welfare (the latter job could be offered to UTJ). 
Tzipi Livni, Alternate Prime Minister (i.e., next-in-line to 
Olmert) and Minister of Foreign Affairs. 
Shimon Peres, Vice Premier and Minister for Development of 
the Negev, Galilee and regional economy. 
 
Shaul Mofaz, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of 
Transportation, responsible for strategic dialogue. 
 
Avraham Hirchson, Minister of Finance (former Chairman of the 
Knesset Finance Committee). 
 
Ronnie Bar-On, Minister of Interior. 
 
Haim Ramon, Minister of Justice. 
 
Meir Sheetrit, Minister of Construction and Housing, 
responsible for Israel Lands Administration and for oversight 
of the secret services. 
 
Avi Dichter, Minister of Internal Security. 
 
Gideon Ezra, Minister of Environment (job could be offered to 
Meretz in a pinch). 
 
Ze'ev Boim, Minister of Immigrant Absorption (job could be 
offered to Lieberman in a pinch). 
 
Jacob Edry, Minister without portfolio, responsible for 
government-Knesset liaison. 
 
LABOR MINISTERS (7) 
 
Amir Peretz, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense. 
 
Yuli Tamir, Minister of Education. 
 
Binyamin (Fouad) Ben-Eliezer, Minister of National 
Infrastructure. 
 
Yitzhak Herzog, Minister of Tourism. 
 
Shalom Simchon, Minister of Agriculture (formerly served as 
Minister of Agriculture). 
 
Ophir Pines-Paz, Minister of Science, Culture, Sport and 
Jerusalem Affairs (Science job could be split off). 
 
Eitan Cabal, Minister without portfolio, responsible for the 
Israel Broadcast Authority. 
 
SHAS MINISTERS (4) 
 
Eli Yishai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry, 
Trade and Labor. 
 
Ariel Atias, Minister of Communications. 
 
Meshulam Nehari, Minister without portfolio responsibile for 
religious councils. 
 
Yitzhak Cohen, Minister without portfolio in the Ministry of 
Finance (a former deputy Finance Minister). 
 
PENSIONERS MINISTERS (2) 
 
Rafi Eitan, Minister without portfolio responsible for 
pensioner affairs. 
 
Yacov Ben Yizri, Minister of Health. 
 
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