“The multi-front attacks on Israel by Islamic terror groups have awakened thoughts of an emergency national unity government,” said NRP head MK Zevulun Orlev just hours after the capture of two IDF soldiers Wednesday morning by Hizbullah terrorists. “Such a government could not be built upon the Hitkansut,” Orlev added, using the term put forth by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert for his plan to destroy Jewish towns in Judea and Samaria outside the route of the Partition Wall.
However, he did not demand that the withdrawal plan be completely shelved as a condition for joining the government.
Yisrael Beiteinu Chairman Avigdor Lieberman said his party would be willing to join the government on the condition that the IDF be granted approval to carry out effective operations. Such plans, Lieberman said, are “drawn up, ready and excellent, but just awaiting approval from the political echelon.” He said that PM Olmert would have to drop his Judea and Samaria withdrawal plans from the agenda. Likud MK Gilad Erdan, too, said that this condition must be set.
Kadima MK David Tal called upon the opposition parties to join a national unity government. He did not mention any willingness on the part of the government to share the reigns of power or cancel withdrawal plans.
Meretz MK Avshalom Vilan dismissed the idea, saying it was just a case of certain elements on the right looking for an excuse to join the government. “I don’t think it is constructive to enter a panic and form an emergency government at this point,” he said.
Likud Chairman Binyamin Netanyahu stopped short of calling for a unity government, but issued a call upon the Olmert government to restore Israel’s deterrence. “At this time, what is important is not politics, but that the opposition give the government the support it needs to hit them and to bring our soldiers home,” Netanyahu said. “We must hit, and hit hard and that means striking those who struck us and those who give them protection.”
The National Union-NRP faction met Wednesday afternoon to discuss the issue. Before the meeting, MK Uri Ariel (National Union) went one step further than Orlev or Lieberman had, suggesting that the faction join an emergency unity government without asking anything in return.
The parties released the following statement following the meeting: "What is required now is unity. We will support the government's actions and expect the government to freeze all controversial policy matters that are in dispute."
The Council of Judea and Samaria Rabbis issued a statement calling for the formation of a national emergency unity government “which will fight the real enemy in a fitting manner and on the condition that it nullifies the demolition and expulsion orders against Jews – which were carried out already against the Jews of Gaza and northern Samaria – the heavy price of which we are currently paying." The statement also called on the government to release Land of Israel activists that have been placed in prison without trial under administrative detention.
Asked about the prospects for such a government, PM Olmert said he was focused on coordinating the actions of the security establishment, and that coalition politics was not “on the agenda at this time.”