Israel\'s economy and political framework were both thrown into turmoil last night, after a failed Knesset vote and the firing of four government ministers. The story began when the Knesset surprised most observers yesterday afternoon by voting against a 13-billion shekel cut that Prime Minister Sharon and Finance Minister Silvan Shalom had been preparing for the last few months. The vote was 47-44. All the MKs of Shas and United Torah Judaism present in the chamber voted against the cuts, as did one Labor MK. Almost equally critical to the final tally was the number of coalition MKs and even ministers who did not show up for the vote. These included Education Minister Limor Livnat (Likud), in protest of the tremendous cuts in the Education Ministry that would lead to the firing of thousands of teachers; Education Committee Chairman Zevulun Orlev (NRP) abstained; Deputy Minister Gideon Ezra (Likud); Minister Dalia Itzik (Labor); Deputy Minister Rabin-Pilosof (Labor); many other Labor MKs; and several MKs from the NRP and the Center Party. The coalition suffered some technical and logistical problems as well, such as two votes that didn’t get counted and gentlemen\'s agreements between opponents and supporters that were not carried out. Coalition whip MK Ze\'ev Boim (Likud) took full responsibility for the defeat, but he blamed several MKs for \"acting like children.\"
The defeat put Prime Minister Sharon and Finance Minister Shalom in a form of political shock, and together with Sharon-ally Communications Minister Ruby Rivlin, they soon decided to punish Shas very severely. Sharon fired off letters of discharge to Shas\' four government ministers and five deputy ministers - three from Shas and two from United Torah Judaism. The fired ministers are Interior Minister Eli Yeshai, Labor Minister Shlomo Benizri, Health Minister Eli Dahan, and Jerusalem Affairs Minister Eli Suissa. Shas also has a fifth minister, Asher Ohana of Religious Affairs, but he is not a Knesset Member and was not fired, although he will certainly not remain in the government without his party. If nothing changes, the firings are to take effect only tomorrow night, 48 hours after they were sent.
Shas ministers convened with their party leader Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef this morning. Rabbi Yosef expressed extreme hurt at Sharon\'s move, calling it \"ungrateful.\" He said that Shas had shown great loyalty to Sharon by backing him against Netanyahu early last year, thus leading to Sharon\'s election as Prime Minister. Rabbi Yosef left \"an opening for negotiations,\" however.
The defeat put Prime Minister Sharon and Finance Minister Shalom in a form of political shock, and together with Sharon-ally Communications Minister Ruby Rivlin, they soon decided to punish Shas very severely. Sharon fired off letters of discharge to Shas\' four government ministers and five deputy ministers - three from Shas and two from United Torah Judaism. The fired ministers are Interior Minister Eli Yeshai, Labor Minister Shlomo Benizri, Health Minister Eli Dahan, and Jerusalem Affairs Minister Eli Suissa. Shas also has a fifth minister, Asher Ohana of Religious Affairs, but he is not a Knesset Member and was not fired, although he will certainly not remain in the government without his party. If nothing changes, the firings are to take effect only tomorrow night, 48 hours after they were sent.
Shas ministers convened with their party leader Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef this morning. Rabbi Yosef expressed extreme hurt at Sharon\'s move, calling it \"ungrateful.\" He said that Shas had shown great loyalty to Sharon by backing him against Netanyahu early last year, thus leading to Sharon\'s election as Prime Minister. Rabbi Yosef left \"an opening for negotiations,\" however.