TEL AVIV, Dec 21 (AFP) - The formation of Israel's new coalition government inched closer Tuesday when Labour approved a deal bartered between the main opposition party and Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Likud.
Members of Labour's central committee endorsed by an overwhelming majority the agreement negotiated with the right-wing Likud, a party source said.
But despite approval from both parties, the agreement cannot come into effect until parliament alters the basic law making provision for a second deputy prime minister -- a position earmarked for Labour leader Shimon Peres.
Labour wants Peres to be authorised to fill in as acting premier when Sharon is away or incapacitated, but Israeli law only allows for one such post. That is currently held by Likud's Ehud Olmert, who has refused to step aside.
On Monday, a bill that would allow Peres to take such a post passed its first parliamentary reading.
It now goes to the law commission before facing three parliamentary readings, the final obstacle to the entry of Labour into a new coalition government.
A deal is expected to be signed as soon as the legal changes are made.
But the chairman of the law commission, Michael Eytan, told journalists that he doubted the amendment would become law before January 10.
Meanwhile, Labour's central committee also said that its candidates for the eight ministerial portfolios apportioned to Labour under its deal with Likud, would be named on Thursday.
The district court in Tel Aviv later issued an order saying that the central committee meeting and any of its decisions were illegal.
Members of the opposition party dismissed the court order as invalid.
12/21/2004 22:35 GMT - AFP