Barak confirms his trust in forming coalition government

Israeli Prime Minister-elect Ehud Barak expressed his trust in his ability to form a strong coalition government during the remaining four weeks of the period available to him according to the constitution.

Barak, moreover, pledged to halt the occupation by Jewish settlers of more hills in the West Bank and reevaluating the settlement policy adopted by outgoing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud Party, but he announced nothing on his policy while he is preparing to form his government.

Meanwhile, the head of the liberal Israeli Meretz movement, Yossi Sarid, announced that the movement will not join the governmental coalition if the Shas religious party joins the coming government. Sarid stated that the Meretz movement, considered a partner of Barak's Labor Party, will support the coming government during the coalition.