国际英语新闻:Israeli Labor Party leader vows not to join current coalition

JERUSALEM, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- Newly-elected chairman of the Israeli Labor Party, the main opposition party to the government, said on Saturday there is "no point" in entering the current coalition at its present make-up, local media reported.

Yitzhak Herzog made the comments during his first interview on Channel 2 news after winning the Labor party primary elections on Thursday, ousting standing chairwoman Shelly Yechimovich.

He alluded to the far-right members of Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition, namely the hawkish members of the ruling Likud Party, as well as the Jewish Home, as a hard-line coalition that the Labor Party cannot work with.

"In the current make-up of Netanyahu's government, it doesn't make any sense for us to join it. It's a paralyzing coalition that wouldn't agree to evacuate settlements and there's no reason for us to be in it," Herzog said.

However, he reiterated Yechimovich's repeated statement that if Netanyahu decided to go all the way with the Palestinians, the Labor party would be there to back him up.

"All options are on the table. If he'll strive to make a courageous diplomatic move, we'll be there to help him," he said.

Herzog, the son of the late Israeli President Haim Herzog, won the support of more than 60 percent of the votes, according to the Party's statement on Friday.

The party, which has been the legendary ruling party for the country's first forty years, became the third largest in the January elections with only 15 out of 120 seats in the parliament, after more than a decade of a downward spiral.

Herzog was a veteran politician and lawyer who served since 2003 in several governments in ministerial posts. His election may have major ramification for the make up of Israeli politics.

Herzog is more accepting to the idea of possibly joining a government led by Benjamin Netanyahu and had taken part in right wing-led governments in the past.

If he will be more inclined to join Netanyahu's government then the party may join the coalition instead of the Jewish Home right- wing party, which is against the peace talks Israel is holding with the Palestinians, making it easier for the Prime Minister to go for more substantial moves towards a possible future agreement.