Pro-settlement Israeli coalition takes office

A new Israeli governing coalition with a strong showing of pro-settlement hardliners has formally taken office after confirmation by parliament days before a US presidential visit.

"During all three periods in which I had the privilege to govern the State of Israel, I don't remember a more challenging period," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at the first meeting of his new Cabinet as he began his third term of office.

He spoke of "dangers on one side, opportunities on the other and, of course the expectations of Israeli citizens".

"I think that it is within our ability to meet all the challenges," he said in remarks carried live on television.

The Knesset, Israel's 120-member parliament, earlier approved Netanyahu's new Cabinet by 68 votes to 48. He and his 21 ministers then took their oaths of office before convening for their first session.

After more than 40 days of tortuous coalition negotiations, the government finally took office just two days before the first visit by US President Barack since he took office.

Although the lineup includes two centrist parties - Yesh Atid, with 19 seats, and HaTnuah, with six seats - which want to renew peace talks, it is dominated by the hawkish Likud-Beitenu, which holds 31 seats, and its new national-religious ally, The Jewish Home, a far-right faction that is supported by settlers, which has 12 seats.

"The top priority of the new government is the defense of the security of the state and its citizens," Netanyahu said, adding that Israel faced "very great threats" from Iran and Syria.

He also gave a nod toward the moribund peace process with the Palestinians, which was scarcely mentioned in the coalition agreements, saying his new government would be "ready for compromises in exchange for real peace" and would talk with any Palestinian partner who would negotiate "in good faith".

Ahead of Obama's visit, which begins on Wednesday, the White House has played down expectations of a resumption of direct peace talks, which broke down weeks after they were last relaunched in September 2010.

Jerusalem was decked out with US flags and bunting as the Holy City geared up to roll out the red carpet for Wednesday's historic visit.

Despite the excitement and fanfare for Obama's trip, a new opinion poll published on the eve of the visit found that 54 percent of Israeli Jews still do not believe Obama will consider and safeguard Israel's interests.

The survey, conducted by the Israel Democracy Institute and Tel Aviv University, found a majority of the Jewish public - 51 percent - sees the president's attitude toward Israel as neutral, while 10.5 percent regard him as hostile.

Obama has raised concerns among Israeli Jews with his outreach to Iran - which denies it is seeking nuclear energy for military purposes - in the early days of his first term, a testy relationship with right-wing Netanyahu and a 2009 Middle East visit that skipped Israel, Reuters reported.

During his visit, which will include the occupied West Bank and Jordan, Obama will speak directly to the Israeli public in an address to college students that aides said would focus on US-Israeli security cooperation and prospects for peace.

According to the poll, it could be a tough sell: 62 percent of the Jewish public does not believe Obama can bring about a real breakthrough in peace efforts with the Palestinians, Reuters reported.

AFP-Reuters-AFP

(China Daily 03/20/2013 page11)