The coalition for a Likud-led government nears completion with Shas officially joining Yisrael Beiteinu in signing onto the government. The coalition now needs only a handful of additional signatories to top the 60-seats needed to form a government that President Shimon Peres would validate. In a striking turn of events, Labor may join the coalition, giving Likud Chairman Binyamin Netanyahu, the needed seats. However, Labor must still internally decide its position on joining the coalition. In the event that the party prefers to stay in opposition, Defense Minister Ehud Barak may defect and unilaterally join the government regardless.
With negotiations for the release of abducted IDF soldier Gilat Shalit halted and Hamas clamouring to renew the process, Israeli officials announced that 125 of the requested prisoners for exchange are out of the question. Similarly, in Palestinian unity talks, Egyptian officials expressed optimism of a coming deal with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas heralding the need to quickly unify Hamas and Fatah.
The wildly popular “Body Worlds” exhibit began facing opposition in Israel even before it arrived. The religious community began protesting the exhibit, which features artwork using actual human remains, due to their belief that the show violates the deceased.
