Israel's Tzipi Livni to head peace talks with Palestinians

According to an agreement signed Tuesday by Israel's leading party Likud-Beiteinu and the Left- Center party Hatnua, Tzipi Livni will head the Israeli negotiation team during peace talks with the Palestinians.

 

Meanwhile, the former foreign minister will serve as justice minister and be a member of incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's inner cabinet.

 

It is the first coalition agreement sealed by the Likud- Beiteinu after the Jan. 22 elections.

 

"I will appoint Livni to negotiate with the Palestinians, and lead a special team for this purpose. We want a political process in order to extend our hand in peace," Netanyahu said at a press conference on Tuesday.

 

Livni is the first party leader to sign a coalition agreement with Likud-Beiteinu. Her party won 6 out of 120 available seats in the Israeli Knesset.

 

"We have to work for equal burden, but it's not as less as important to handle Iran, Syria and the Palestinians," Livni said at a press conference on Tuesday, adding "I'm here to take any action necessary to achieve peace."

 

After the elections last month, Livni vowed not to join the government without other left-center factions. Sources on her party told local news outlets that other party members were not informed about the surprising agreement.

 

Apart from the deal with Livni, no progress has been noted in the coalition negotiations.

 

Likud-Beiteinu party now has less than two weeks to complete the task of forming the new government.