Avraham Diskin, associate professor of political science at Hebrew University, echoed Hoffman's words Thursday during a telephone interview with Xinhua, saying that there are "good chances" for Livni to succeed in forming a coalition.

According to Diskin, the establishment of a new coalition is "most likely" to happen, however, it is not guaranteed and remains to be seen in the near future.

Livni is likely to form a coalition similar to the current one, which includes Labor and Shas, said the associate professor, adding that it might be possible for Livni to bring some small opposition parties into the coalition, which in turn can consolidate and stabilize a government led by her.

Gideon Doron, professor of political science at Tel Aviv University, also told Xinhua in a Thursday telephone interview that it is likely for Livni to form a coalition, though he said that he was not very confident about the prospect.

It is not in Labor's interest to pull out of a coalition, and the Pensioners' party, another coalition partner of Kadima, will stay in the coalition for its own benefit as well, said Doron, adding that the main obstacle for Livni is to bargain with the Shas party.

Early general elections still possible

With the ultra-Orthodox Shas Party, which as stated, could be key to building a new coalition, having already made clear that it would not join a Livni-led government if the future of Jerusalem is discussed with the Palestinian National Authority, Livni faces daunting maneuvering work in cobbling up a new government.

Livni is committed to discussing all the outstanding issues between Israel and the Palestinians, of which the future of Jerusalem is a key sticking point.

Other conditions set out by Shas include the welfare issues, as Shas chairman Eli Yishai hinted Thursday that the party would remain in a Livni-led coalition provided that the Treasury agrees to some sort of assistance for the weaker segments of society, if not the child welfare allowances.

"She must provide answers to poverty. We won't give up on our ideals, whether you call them (child) allowances, assistance, subsidies or grants to families with children. The name doesn't interest me," said Yishai.

Even with the Labor, there are challenges as well. According to Diskin, some senior Labor members, for different reasons, tend to opt for early general elections, though Labor as a whole is not interested in it.

Agriculture Minister Shalom Simhon, the cabinet minister closest to Barak, called for early general elections.

"Let's go to elections and let the people choose their prime minister," he said. "It can not be that so few people will decide who the prime minister of Israel will be. I welcome Livni's victory but Labor will prefer elections."

Meanwhile, officials from the hardline Likud Party, a major right-wing political party in Israel and the biggest opposition party, reiterated that there was no chance for it to join a Livni-lead coalition, calling for early general elections instead.

Given the complexity and uncertainty of the Israeli politics, the possibility of holding early general elections, probably in spring, could not be ruled out.

Should the cabinet-making efforts made by Livni fail, Peres may assign the task to a second and even a third lawmaker, who will respectively have 28 days and 14 days to establish a cabinet and gain parliamentary approval. The president may also inform the Knesset that a new government can not be formed.

Should no government be set up, the Knesset will disperse, and general elections will held within 90 days. In case of general elections, the winning party will start the cabinet-making efforts all over again.

In that case, the Likud Party led by opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu, which has fared well in previous polls, is most likely to defeat other parties, including Livni-led Kadima and Barak-led Labor, and win early general elections, both Diskin and Doron told Xinhua.

(Xinhua News Agency September 19, 2008)