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Israeli President Shimon Peres is expected to formally task Likud chairman Binyamin Netanyahu with building a coalition, after making a last-ditch effort today to persuade Kadima leader Tzipi Livni to join a national-unity government.
While the Jerusalem Post reports that Likud’s Netanyahu has privately ” admitted that there was no chance of persuading either Kadima or Labor to join his government”, Ha’aretz is saying that Livni would be willing to consider a Likud-Kadima-Yisrael Beiteinu coalition.
Updates (Israel time; most recent at top)
3:55PM: In case you doubted that UNRWA were in cahoots with Hamas:
Hamas reportedly sent a letter to US President Barack Obama on Thursday via another US politician who was visiting Gaza.
UN Relief and Works Agency chief Karen Abu Zayed told the BBC the letter had been received by the UN and passed on. US Senator John Kerry met with Abu Zayed during his visit.
But Hamas spokesperson Fawzi Barhum denied sending the letter, although he said the Islamic movement is “happy to have contact with all international sides in order to support Palestinian rights.”
UNRWA spokesman Christopher Gunness told Reuters the letter had been left for Kerry at the gate of the UN compound and that he did not know the content. “We don’t open other people’s mail,” Gunness said. Kerry’s office had no immediate comment.
3:43PM: Return of The Kisser.
“Make that a flat white with one sugar, dahling.”
2:20PM: The New York Times reports that Iran has way more enriched uranium than originally thought, and in fact has enough to make an atom bomb.
Oh joy.
2:15PM: It’s official: Israeli President Shimon Peres will ask Likud leader Binyamin Netanyahu to form the next government at 2:15PM.
Oh, that’s round about now.
9:53AM: Approximately 10 palestinian-fired mortar shells have landed in Eshkol.
9:33AM: The French FM has said there is no reason to link the reopening of Gaza’s borders with the release of Gilad Shalit.
In other words, he is taking Hamas’ side.
Welcome back, France. You weren’t being yourself for a while, but it’s “good” to see you back.
9:25AM: Orthodox Jewish Army engineer David Tenenbaum, who was cleared of spying for Israel, yesterday sued the US Defense and Justice departments.
The latest suit, which seeks more than $200 million in damages, said the military asserted the privilege “in reckless disregard of the fact that no state secrets existed … because there was never any evidence against Tenenbaum.”
There was no immediate comment from the Defense Department.
Tenenbaum was suspected of but never formally charged with espionage involving his job at the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM) in Warren. But the Defense Department’s Office of Inspector General said in a report last July that Tenenbaum was singled out because he is Jewish.
The report said Tenenbaum wore a yarmulke and adhered to strict Jewish dietary rules rather than join coworkers for lunch at restaurants. Colleagues questioned why he was allowed to leave work early on Fridays to prepare for the Jewish Sabbath, the report said.
8:15AM: The palestinian’s first rocket firing attempt of the day has not been altogether successful.
7:52AM: Black September terrorist Khalid Al-Jawary, who served only about half of his 30-year sentence for planting three car bombs in New York City in 1973, has been released into the custody of immigration officials to be deported.
Amongst his actual and attempted terrorist attacks was a plot to kill past Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir.
Here’s more on Al-Jawary:
