IT IS STILL early days, but the signs are that the new Israeli government, slowly taking shape under the Prime Minister elect, Mr Benjamin Netanyahu, may not be as hardline as had been feared.
In what will come as a relief to the Palestinian leadership, and all other parties interested in the salvaging of the peace process, it is almost certain that the most radical right wing faction in the new Knesset, Moledet, which advocates the expulsion of Palestinians from the West Bank, will be excluded from the coalition.
And crucially, rumour has it that the leading hardliner in Mr Netanyahu's Likud party, Gen Ariel Sharon, is being frozen out of a first rank cabinet post. Mr Netanyahu's owes a considerable debt to Gen Sharon who withdrew his own candidacy for the premiership early in the race, persuaded other potential right wing rivals to do likewise, and then helped Likud form a joint bloc with other minor factions. But though the general is known to thirst after the position of finance minister, Likud sources believe he will be passed over for that post, will not be appointed to defence or foreign either, may be offered some kind of expanded economic portfolio and may consider this to insulting to accept.
Although Mr Netanyahu is keeping his cards close to his chest, the signals emerging from his close aides suggest that he would rather risk a confrontation with Mr Sharon than give him the leading post that would cement his government's hawkish image.
And these aides also hint that Mr Netanyahu may surprise pessimistic observers by going ahead with the scheduled Israeli pullout from Hebron soon after taking office, safeguarding the peace process with the Palestinians for the time being. That would guarantee the maintenance of good relations with the United States, Israel's key ally, which was clearly dismayed by Mr Netanyahu's largely unexpected victory.
Asked about his plans for Hebron yesterday, Mr Netanyahu was non committal, saying he needed further briefings. But a key adviser, Mr Zalman Shoval, said the new government would respect accords already signed.
Mr Netanyahu yesterday met Mr Shimon Peres, the man he defeated by a mere 30,000 votes in last Wednesday's elections, to discuss the formalities of a handover of power. Some observers believe this may be the first of many meetings, and that the Likud leader may invite Mr Peres's Labour to join him in a unity government".
It may well be, though, that Mr Netanyahu is himself spreading these rumours, as a means of pressuring his more natural coalition partners including three religious parties to moderate their demands.