JERUSALEM, March 13 (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu and centrist leader Tzipi Livni have renewed contacts to explore the option of forging a joint government, Israeli media reports said on Friday. Livni's Kadima party had called off talks for a possible coalition with Netanyahu earlier this month after Livni accused him of not being committed to pursuing a U.S.-sponsored vision of a Palestinian state alongside Israel. Israel Radio said emissaries for Netanyahu, head of the right-wing Likud party, and Kadima party head and outgoing Foreign Minister Livni had held secret contacts to explore the possibility of partnering in a government. Dina Libster, a spokeswoman for Netanyahu, said he and Livni had "exchanged messages through envoys" in recent days. She would not elaborate about these contacts or say whether the leaders themselves had also held any talks. Kadima officials were not immediately available for comment on the reports. The Ynet news Web site said both Netanyahu and Livni were privy to behind-the-scenes contacts held by respective party members with the goal of exploring whether there was room to renew coalition talks. The latest reports of contacts for a possible union came as Netanyahu was reported to be facing obstacles in his efforts to forge a coalition with far-right and religious parties some of whose representatives were making contradictory demands. Netanyahu, who served as prime minister from 1996 to 1999, faces an April 3 deadline to form a government, after having been named by President Shimon Peres last month to build a coalition following a parliamentary election held on Feb. 10. Peres chose Netanyahu although Livni's Kadima party had outpolled Likud by one seat, 28 to 27, because he appeared to have the most potential political allies with whom to form a government. But disputes over cabinet posts, demands by ultra-right parties for a tougher stance on peacemaking and by religious factions for larger budgets, have threatened to diminish Netanyahu's support from a promised 65 lawmakers to possibly just a threadbare majority in the 120-member parliament. Netanyahu was also seen as interested in an alliance with Livni to avoid colliding with the Obama administration's goal of pursuing diplomacy and seeking Palestinian statehood. Netanyahu wants contacts with the Palestinians to focus on economic and security issues rather than territory, a concept Palestinian leaders reject.
Palestinians use slings to hurl stones toward Israeli soldiers during a protest against Israel's security barrier in the West Bank village of Bilin near Ramallah March 13, 2009. REUTERS/Darren Whiteside (WEST ...
