Region | Palestinian Territories

Main parties and their positions

  • Reuters
  • Published: 23:32 May 3, 2009
  • Gulf News

  • The centrist Kadima Party of Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert wants to draw Israel's final borders based on the US-backed roadmap peace plan, which calls for a negotiated peace deal with the Palestinians. However, Olmert has said he will withdraw unilaterally from parts of the West Bank if peace efforts are deadlocked.
  • The centre-left Labor Party of populist ex-union leader Amir Peretz supports an immediate renewal of peace talks. Labor is also willing to give up Arab neighbourhoods of east Jerusalem in a peace deal.
  • The hard-line Likud party of former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it was willing to make some territorial concessions, but only after Palestinians halt violence and militant groups are disarmed. Netanyahu opposes unilateral moves, including Israel's pullout from Gaza. Netanyahu wants to keep large chunks of the West Bank under any peace deal.

Hamas

  • Disagreements have emerged among Kadima leaders over how to deal with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas after the Hamas victory. Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni says Abbas has become irrelevant, while Olmert takes a softer line.
  • Labor supports the economic sanctions, but warns Israel must be careful not to plunge Palestinians into poverty.
  • Netanyahu calls for stiffer sanctions against Hamas and says Olmert's response so far has been weak.

Economy

  • Kadima supports a market economy, but pledges to narrow social and economic gaps.
  • Peretz has campaigned on narrowing the gap between rich and poor in Israel, and wants to increase the minimum wage and restore some welfare payments cut by the outgoing government.
  • Netanyahu supports a free-market economy and competition.

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