Tzipi Livni, Israel’s former foreign minister and leader of the Hatnua party, is to join the new Israeli government led by Benjamin Netanyahu as justice minister and will be in charge of peace talks with the Palestinians. A deal between Livni and Netanyahu was signed Tuesday, nearly a month after national elections.
The former Kadima party leader's new formation won six seats in the new Knesset. A Hatnua member, likely to be Amir Peretz, will reportedly also receive the environmental protection portfolio in the new government.
"Two-and-a-half months ago my colleagues and I formed Hatnua, and we vowed to fight for a diplomatic agreement, even if it doesn't pay off politically," Livni told reporters after signing the agreement. "This led to a partnership with the prime minister after I was permitted to negotiate with the aim of ending the conflict with the Palestinians."
"When there's a common goal, you put aside your differences," she said. Livni also pointed to Netanyahu's speech on Monday in which he had reiterated his commitment to a two-state solution.
Netanyahu has less than two weeks to end the formation of a new government.
