Brig.-Gen. (res.) Effie Eitam, Rabbi Yitzchak Levy, and David Levy were sworn in as government ministers without portfolio this morning. The MKs of the Labor party, who had considered absenting themselves from the vote in order not to stir up a coalition crisis, voted against; the party\'s ministers did not take part in the vote. Knesset Speaker Avraham Burg (Labor) said, \"If the racist Effie Eitam is in this government, I am not.\" The government now enjoys the support of 82 (out of 120) Knesset Members (including Burg).
The National Union-Yisrael Beiteinu party will not rejoin the government, contrary to some expectations of the past few days. The decision was made after Sharon did not accede to the party\'s demand to re-take the Abu Sneineh hills in Hevron, from where terrorists often shoot at Israeli civilians and soldiers, and to ensure the extradition of the murderers of Tourism Minister Rehavam Ze\'evi. Party leader Avigdor Lieberman told Arutz-7 today that he fears that the government will cut short Operation Defensive Shield when U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell arrives on Friday.
The National Union-Yisrael Beiteinu party will not rejoin the government, contrary to some expectations of the past few days. The decision was made after Sharon did not accede to the party\'s demand to re-take the Abu Sneineh hills in Hevron, from where terrorists often shoot at Israeli civilians and soldiers, and to ensure the extradition of the murderers of Tourism Minister Rehavam Ze\'evi. Party leader Avigdor Lieberman told Arutz-7 today that he fears that the government will cut short Operation Defensive Shield when U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell arrives on Friday.