Coalition talks

At present it seems like Olmert's coalition talks aren't as smooth as he would like. He needs pretax more than he wants to admit, and Peretz knows it. That's why Peretz is pushing for his raising the minimum wage to $1,000- per month. Olmert's people claim it was raise unemployment, but that isn't so. At present the working poor must try to work at more than one job to cover minimum expenses. Some of those supplementary jobs will be freed for others.

Another problem concerns Yisrael Beitenu's Avigdor Lieberman, who is being investigated for campaign and other financial crimes. Olmert wants him for "Internal Security," but Tzachi Hanegbi had to resign from the same post because of his own legal problems. And then he left the Likud and joined Kadima...

And now even though Lieberman's own home in Nokdim is on the list for destruction, he's doing everything he can to join Olmert's government. Doesn't it make you wonder why the former pro-settlement politician has been announcing that he's willing to give land to the Arabs?