Kulanu chairman and Minister of Finance elect Moshe Kahlon is boycotting the coalition talks that are beginning today. The boycott is in response to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's declaration yesterday that the chairmanship of the Knesset Finance Committee will go to United Torah Judaism's Moshe Gafni. Kahlon has instructed his negotiation team to cancel all meetings today with the Likud's negotiation team.
Kulanu said in a statement, "Following the Likud's political act of handing out jobs at the expense of the work tools needed to lower the prices of homes and deal with the cost of living even before the coalition negotiation teams have sat down, the Kulanu party chairman Moshe Kahlon has canceled the meeting with the Likud negotiating team scheduled for today."
The Likud said in response, "The step taken by Moshe Kahlon this morning on this matter is baffling and unnecessary - the place to mediate issues and disputes is around the coalition negotiating table."
The Likud negotiating team will today meet with the rest of the party representatives of partners in the Knesset coalition that is emerging.
At 11.30 am the Likud coalition team will meet with Habayit Hayehudi representatives followed by Shas, Yisrael Beitenu, and United Torah Judaism. This round of talks will end at 9 pm this evening.
The Likud negotiating team comprises Adv. David Shimron, Avis Israel CEO Yoav Horowitz, and MKs Zeev Elkin and Yariv Levin.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on March 26, 2015
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2015