Benjamin Netanyahu's possible coalition partners say the darnedest things. Although Avigdor Lieberman is getting most of the attention, there are other parties being courted that have equally disturbing things to say. In response to Peace Now revealing that the Israeli government has plans to increase the settler population in the West Bank by 100%, Yaakov Katz, a member of Knesset from the National Union Party, said:
"We will make every effort to realize the plans outlined by [Peace
Now official Yariv] Oppenheimer," Katz told Army Radio on Monday. "I
expect that, with God's help, this will all happen in the next few
years, and there will be one state here."
Ha'aretz points out that National Union is making its participation in the new government contingent on increasing settlement construction and that Katz is positioning himself for the post of Housing Minister to carry this plan out. Netanyahu has already promised National Union that "the guidelines of the coalition he is forging will not refer to a Palestinian state, the road map peace plan or the Annapolis diplomatic process." What else would he be willing to promise?
