Jerusalem:
A jumbo Israeli cabinet is set to be sworn in on Tuesday, the largest in the country's history with some 37 ministers and deputy ministers, even as the incoming premier sought to ally concerns over the future of Middle East peace process under his largely right-wing coalition.
Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu has formally asked the Knesset (Israeli parliament) to hold a swearing-in ceremony for his government this evening after President Shimon Peres returns from a visit to the Czech republic.
The Knesset chamber was last night fitted with an additional cabinet bench to accommodate the bloated ministry in which almost half of the coalition members will be ministers, many without portfolios, as Netanyahu went on generously handing portfolios to potential partners to lend stability to his government.
While the allies look overjoyed with the share of ministries, tensions seem to be brewing within Netanyahu's Likud party with arch-rival Silvan Shalom threatening to stay away if he is not offered a senior portfolio.
Shalom was offered the position of minister of regional development as well as the title of deputy prime minister, but it seems to have failed in pleasing him.
Netanyahu's decision to offer the finance portfolio to his protege Yuval Steinitz, overlooking his arch-rival, seems to have also evoked anger in the Shalom camp.
Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu has formally asked the Knesset (Israeli parliament) to hold a swearing-in ceremony for his government this evening after President Shimon Peres returns from a visit to the Czech republic.
The Knesset chamber was last night fitted with an additional cabinet bench to accommodate the bloated ministry in which almost half of the coalition members will be ministers, many without portfolios, as Netanyahu went on generously handing portfolios to potential partners to lend stability to his government.
While the allies look overjoyed with the share of ministries, tensions seem to be brewing within Netanyahu's Likud party with arch-rival Silvan Shalom threatening to stay away if he is not offered a senior portfolio.
Shalom was offered the position of minister of regional development as well as the title of deputy prime minister, but it seems to have failed in pleasing him.
Netanyahu's decision to offer the finance portfolio to his protege Yuval Steinitz, overlooking his arch-rival, seems to have also evoked anger in the Shalom camp.
