The concepts of “a house divided against itself” and “senseless hate,” which rabbis teach was the reason for the destruction of the Second Temple on Tisha B'Av 1,941 years ago today, may spell a split in the Labor party and weaken the coalition government’s majority.
A proposed bill expected to pass as law next week, may herald a similar split in Kadima in favor of coalition, allowing several MKs to leave the party and join the coalition government headed by Likud party chairman and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.
Labor Knesset Member Shelly Yechimovich stated in the legislature Wednesday, “There is nothing holy in staying in the party, which is not a value in and of itself.” The former radio and television journalist has previously preached party loyalty despite her differences with party chairman and Defense Minister Ehud Barak.
Her comment hinted she might join four other colleagues, led by MK Eitan Cabel, who have opposed Barak since he voted to sit with the Likud party in the current government. Party chairman Barak has angered them by supporting legislation contrary to traditional Labor party principles, such as the budget that favored businesses and the wealthy and the proposed bill to allow the sale of land. The government pulled the bill at the last moment when it was obvious it would not pass, but an altered version may win Knesset approval next week, benefiting wealthy developers.
The “land sale” bill and the “Mofaz bill” may be the last straws for MK Yechimovich. Party chairman Barak has backed the Mofaz bill, allowing seven MKs instead of the current minimum of one-third of party to form a new party in parliament.
Although Kadima Minister Shaul Mofaz outwardly opposes the bill, it is suspected that he and at least six other Kadima MKs are prepared to abandon the party and either join the Likud or form another faction.
Labor MK Amir Peretz, who preceded Barak as party chairman, said the debate in the Knesset on the land bill “sharpened the ideological differences that exist between the “group of four” [headed by MK Cabel] and chairman Barak and his supporters. He added that the debate “has brought closer the inevitable break” within the party.
Another sticking point between the leadership and the “rebels” is chairman Barak’s proposal to change party laws that would grant him more individual power. Two other Labor MKs, Orit Noked and Daniel Ben-Simon, have indicated they may not be able to accept giving the party chairman exclusive powers, contrary to Labor’s principle of democracy.
If the Labor party splits, it will be the second time it has suffered division under Barak’s leadership. He won a decisive victory over Prime Minister Netanyahu in the general elections in 1999, but within 18 months, he lost support in the Knesset and was forced to allow new elections, which resulted in a landslide victory for Ariel Sharon, who was then chairman of the Likud party.