Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Lieberman is considering appointing attorney Dov Weissglas as his special envoy if Lieberman is appointed foreign minister. Weissglas, who served as bureau chief to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and as Sharon's special envoy to the United States, has been friendly with Lieberman for many years and also served as Lieberman's lawyer for a considerable time.
In his various ministerial positions in the Sharon and Olmert cabinets, Lieberman received extensive support from Weissglas. Just prior to last month's Knesset elections, Weissglas published an article in the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper in which he came to Lieberman's defense following harsh criticism of the Yisrael Beiteinu party leader.
Lieberman is also considering appointing newly-elected Knesset member and party colleague Danny Ayalon as deputy foreign minister. Ayalon is a former Israeli ambassador to the United States and is also a close associate of Weissglas. Those close to the coalition negotiations say, however, that prime minister designate Benjamin Netanyahu may seek to reserve the prestigious post of deputy foreign minister for a member of his own Likud party as a "consolation prize" for a Likudnik whose hopes of receiving a ministerial post are dashed.
