"Netanyahu erred when he presented a unilateral plan last Thursday," a senior source in the protest coalition against the price rises, an alliance of the Histadrut, General Federation of Labor, the Manufacturers' Association, the local authorities and the Students Union, told "Globes" today. "Now he will again be required to make changes."
According to the source, the headlines that Netanyahu won for his plan at first seem encouraging. But very quickly, it becomes apparent that the plan is much less positive than it first seems.
The source said, "Nobody knows how much the price of water will be lowered and it turns out that the 10% public transport subsidy is only in the periphery."
The source said that had Netanyahu attempted to reach an agreed plan with the leaders of the protestors, he would not have needed to move towards a further round of improved concessions. In other words, if Netanyahu will now be forced into further changes of his plans, as many believe will happen, then he will again be subject to headlines such as "Netanyahu caves in."
Sources inform "Globes" that Manufacturers' Association president Shraga Brosh has asked to meet the prime minister at the first possible opportunity together with Histadrut chairman Ofer Eini and Union of Local Authorities chairman Shlomo Buhbut to discuss further concessions. Moreover, the threat of a general strike by the Histadrut has not been removed.
The heads of the protest coalition met on Saturday night to discuss their response to Netanyahu's program of concessions and issued a statement that the concessions are "shrouded in confusion and unclear."
Brosh, Buhbut and Eini called upon the prime minister to hold negotiations with them and insisted that the struggle will continue.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on February 13, 2011
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2011