THE Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Netanyahu, and the Foreign Minister, Mr David Levy notched up yet another ceasefire in their conflict ridden relationship when they agreed yesterday on the division of responsibility in negotiations with the Palestinians and other areas of foreign policy.
In the 1/2 hour meeting which brought the two week old dispute to an end, they agreed that while Mr Netanyahu would steer the talks with the Palestinians, Mr Levy would be a full partner in the process. They also agreed that a former army chief of staff, Gen Dan Shomron, would head the negotiating team with the Palestinians despite Mr Netanyahu's earlier intention to appoint his cabinet secretary and close aide, Mr Danny Naveh, to the post.
The latest falling out beg, an when Mr Netanyahu made a visit to Jordan and did not include any foreign ministry representative in his delegation. Also, the setting up of a foreign desk in the prime minister's office and Mr Netanyahu's extensive use of his foreign policy aide, Mr Dore Gold, was seen by Mr Levy as an attempt to circumvent him.
An incensed Mr Levy boycotted cabinet meetings and left for the US for a week long private visit. After the meeting, Mr Levy said they had agreed there would be no parallel foreign desk in the prime minister's office. This was not a matter of [personal] honour, Mr Levy said after the reconciliation. "This was a matter of the status of the foreign ministry . . . It would have harmed the interests of the state."
The latest Netanyahu Levy feud is just one in a long list of confrontations. Several years ago the two clashed when, in a live televised public confession, Mr Netanyahu admitted he had been unfaithful to his wife and intimated that Mr Levy was at the head of a "group of criminals" in, the Likud Party who were trying to blackmail him with videotaped evidence of his infidelity.
While Mr Netanyahu never openly mentioned Mr Levy's name and while the tape never emerged, the deep animosity simmered until Mr Levy, who had subsequently left the Likud and set up his own party, withdrew from the prime ministerial race and joined forces with Mr Netanyahu to help him defeat the then prime minister, Mr Shimon Peres, in the election on May 29th.
But the new found accord did not last. On the day in mid June when Mr Netanyahu presented his government, Mr Levy precipitated another crisis when he threatened not to join the government if Gen Ariel Sharon was not made a minister. Several weeks later. Mr Levy again embarrassed Mr Netanyahu when, in a joint public appearance with the Prime Minister, he threatened to resign if Gen Sharon, still not in the cabinet, was not brought into the government. Shortly after, Gen Sharon was appointed Minister of National Infrastructures.