January 23, 2003

Katsav pushes national unity

By GREER FAY CASHMAN

President Moshe Katsav, who has consistently advocated the importance of a national-unity government, reiterated his view on Thursday at a meeting with the executive committee of World ORT. Katsav said that a unity government is necessary not for political reasons but because of the emergency situation.

Despite the fact that Labor has declared that it will not join a Likud-led government, Katsav was hopeful that in view of the circumstances a national-unity government will come about. "At this crucial time, I cannot see any positive trend on the part of the Palestinian Authority," he said.

Hamas, Fatah, and PA Chairman Yasser Arafat himself are not interested in reducing terrorism, he said, "and this is a disaster for the Palestinian people."

Katsav acknowledged that Israel may have been naive in trusting Arafat's word in 1993, but that trust was based on its good experience with Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, he explained. When Sadat pledged "no more war, no more bloodshed," he kept his word.

Meanwhile, it was announced that a press center will operate for three days at Beit Hanassi during the post-election period, when heads of parties will come with their recommendations for a head of government.

The press center is being established in the realization that competing reporters want to file copy as quickly and easily as possible. In order to avoid any misunderstandings in their conversations with the president, politicians will be accompanied by Knesset stenographers who will be able to provide transcripts, in addition to those provided by Beit Hanassi stenographers. The meetings are expected to begin on the Sunday after the election.

After giving the recommendations due consideration, Katsav will decide which party leader has the best chance of forming a government and will invite him to do so. Although their private residence is in Kiryat Malachi, Katsav and his wife Gila will vote in Jerusalem at the School for the Arts, one of the closest polling stations to Beit Hanassi.

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