Recognizing that his largest coalition partner, the Labor party, may bolt the government following their internal elections for party leadership next month, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has initiated preliminary coalition talks with the opposition United Torah Judaism (UTJ) party. On Monday night, the Prime Minister met with UTJ MKs Moshe Gafni and Avraham Ravitz in Jerusalem.
By Tuesday morning, another UTJ Knesset member, who wished to remain anonymous, claimed that MK Ravitz was acting contrary to the wishes of the Torah sages who guide the actions of the all-Hareidi party. In response, MK Ravitz clarified that any draft
MK Ravitz clarified that any draft agreement with the Prime Minister will be subject to the approval of the UTJ's Council of Torah Sages
agreement with the Prime Minister will be subject to the approval of the UTJ's Council of Torah Sages.
"I act solely on the instructions of the Torah sages and with their direction," MK Ravitz declared. "Even now, I am diligently preparing a draft agreement between the government and United Torah Judaism, which I will bring to the Torah sages for approval."
UTJ was one of four opposition parties that presented three no-confidence motions in the Knesset on Monday. The motions, drafted by Meretz, the Likud, UTJ and the National Union-National Religious Party, were all defeated by the coalition, even though several Knesset members from Labor and Kadima were absent during the vote.
Shas Pledges to Stay
Even though Prime Minister Olmert may be eventually challenged by the Labor party's departure from the government, another of the Kadima party's partners, Shas, is declaring its loyalty to the coalition, if not to Ehud Olmert personally.
In an interview with Arutz Sheva Radio on Tuesday, Shas party MK Nissim Ze'ev warned that bringing down the current government will not necessarily be an improvement. He also noted that internal conflict at this time, such as that surrounding general elections, serve the interests of Israel's enemies.
"There was the Barak government and what came next? The Sharon government and then Olmert. ...There is a fantasy that the next government will solve the problems; it is not always so," said MK Ze'ev.
The only elections to be considered in the wake of the Winograd Commission's interim report are elections to replace the Prime Minister, not general parliamentary elections, according to MK Ze'ev. He added that Shas will not be the force to bring down the government.
"Under the assumption that Kadima will continue to be the leading party, it may consider replacing the Prime Minister with another candidate from that party, but Shas will not
Shas will not be the force to bring down the government.
support a move to hold general elections. ...It is possible to replace incumbents, just as long as we avoid dragging ourselves into a political earthquake of unrest that looks very bad in the eyes of the world," Ze'ev said.
The Shas MK even presented a scenario whereby a right-wing coalition can be formed once the Labor party quits the government. A possible post-Labor coalition, Ze'ev imagined, could incorporate the Likud, UTJ and the National Religious Party. "It would be a stronger and more secure government," he said.
MK Eldad Attempts Peer Pressure on Min. Lieberman
MK Aryeh Eldad (National Union-NRP) sent a lengthy letter to Yisrael Beiteinu Chairman Avigdor Lieberman on Tuesday calling for his party's immediate resignation from the current government.
"You have the opportunity to fulfill a historic role - bring down this government. And if you don’t, others will - perhaps too late," MK Eldad wrote. "Every additional day of the government of which you are a member prevents Israel from taking the necessary steps ahead of the next conflict. Every additional day that you stay in the government assists in the artificial prolonging of the government's political life and steals priceless time from the State of Israel."
MK Eldad warned Minister Lieberman against strengthening the "failed government" at the cost of weakening the nation. He noted that the ministerial position Lieberman took, Minister of Strategic Affairs, has been given no practical powers to accomplish anything for which it was ostensibly formulated. "Yet, failure will be attributed to you - and
Eldad warned Lieberman against strengthening the "failed government."
justifiably so."
Eldad wrote, "You may well be part of the next [investigative commission] report, not about the previous war, but about the next war. At this time, the State of Israel needs a new government. ...This time, you are a partner to the failure - to the policy of restraint in the south, and to the turning of a blind eye to the Hizbullah's re-arming in the north, to the lack of reinforcement and bomb shelters, to the absence of homefront preparations, to the lack of a decision-making system or a staff to prepare alternatives."
MK Eldad closed his letter with the appraisal, "If I did not think that you were focused on the good of Israel, I would not have written these things to you."
By Tuesday morning, another UTJ Knesset member, who wished to remain anonymous, claimed that MK Ravitz was acting contrary to the wishes of the Torah sages who guide the actions of the all-Hareidi party. In response, MK Ravitz clarified that any draft
MK Ravitz clarified that any draft agreement with the Prime Minister will be subject to the approval of the UTJ's Council of Torah Sages
agreement with the Prime Minister will be subject to the approval of the UTJ's Council of Torah Sages. "I act solely on the instructions of the Torah sages and with their direction," MK Ravitz declared. "Even now, I am diligently preparing a draft agreement between the government and United Torah Judaism, which I will bring to the Torah sages for approval."
UTJ was one of four opposition parties that presented three no-confidence motions in the Knesset on Monday. The motions, drafted by Meretz, the Likud, UTJ and the National Union-National Religious Party, were all defeated by the coalition, even though several Knesset members from Labor and Kadima were absent during the vote.
Shas Pledges to Stay
Even though Prime Minister Olmert may be eventually challenged by the Labor party's departure from the government, another of the Kadima party's partners, Shas, is declaring its loyalty to the coalition, if not to Ehud Olmert personally.
In an interview with Arutz Sheva Radio on Tuesday, Shas party MK Nissim Ze'ev warned that bringing down the current government will not necessarily be an improvement. He also noted that internal conflict at this time, such as that surrounding general elections, serve the interests of Israel's enemies.
"There was the Barak government and what came next? The Sharon government and then Olmert. ...There is a fantasy that the next government will solve the problems; it is not always so," said MK Ze'ev.
The only elections to be considered in the wake of the Winograd Commission's interim report are elections to replace the Prime Minister, not general parliamentary elections, according to MK Ze'ev. He added that Shas will not be the force to bring down the government.
"Under the assumption that Kadima will continue to be the leading party, it may consider replacing the Prime Minister with another candidate from that party, but Shas will not
Shas will not be the force to bring down the government.
support a move to hold general elections. ...It is possible to replace incumbents, just as long as we avoid dragging ourselves into a political earthquake of unrest that looks very bad in the eyes of the world," Ze'ev said. The Shas MK even presented a scenario whereby a right-wing coalition can be formed once the Labor party quits the government. A possible post-Labor coalition, Ze'ev imagined, could incorporate the Likud, UTJ and the National Religious Party. "It would be a stronger and more secure government," he said.
MK Eldad Attempts Peer Pressure on Min. Lieberman
MK Aryeh Eldad (National Union-NRP) sent a lengthy letter to Yisrael Beiteinu Chairman Avigdor Lieberman on Tuesday calling for his party's immediate resignation from the current government.
"You have the opportunity to fulfill a historic role - bring down this government. And if you don’t, others will - perhaps too late," MK Eldad wrote. "Every additional day of the government of which you are a member prevents Israel from taking the necessary steps ahead of the next conflict. Every additional day that you stay in the government assists in the artificial prolonging of the government's political life and steals priceless time from the State of Israel."
MK Eldad warned Minister Lieberman against strengthening the "failed government" at the cost of weakening the nation. He noted that the ministerial position Lieberman took, Minister of Strategic Affairs, has been given no practical powers to accomplish anything for which it was ostensibly formulated. "Yet, failure will be attributed to you - and
Eldad warned Lieberman against strengthening the "failed government."
justifiably so." Eldad wrote, "You may well be part of the next [investigative commission] report, not about the previous war, but about the next war. At this time, the State of Israel needs a new government. ...This time, you are a partner to the failure - to the policy of restraint in the south, and to the turning of a blind eye to the Hizbullah's re-arming in the north, to the lack of reinforcement and bomb shelters, to the absence of homefront preparations, to the lack of a decision-making system or a staff to prepare alternatives."
MK Eldad closed his letter with the appraisal, "If I did not think that you were focused on the good of Israel, I would not have written these things to you."