Shas did not participate in today\'s Knesset re-vote on the government’s emergency economic bill. The bill passed today by a 65-26 count, with 7 abstentions and many MKs not present. Its defeat on Monday led to the firing of four Shas ministers from the government and great uncertainty in the political world. The bill calls for the cutting of 13 billion shekels from the national budget, and many of its clauses aroused objections in various sectors - especially by Shas, which voted against the bill on Monday, provoking Prime Minister Sharon to fire them.
Sharon intimated yesterday that in order to retract the dismissals, he would accept nothing less than a vote in favor of the proposal, but Shas leader Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef decided that Shas would meet Sharon only halfway. In the remaining hours before the dismissals take effect, the Prime Minister may either retract them, enter into a form of negotiations with his 2nd-largest coalition party member, or do nothing - in which case the coalition will be left as of shortly after midnight tonight with only 60 MKs.
Sharon intimated yesterday that in order to retract the dismissals, he would accept nothing less than a vote in favor of the proposal, but Shas leader Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef decided that Shas would meet Sharon only halfway. In the remaining hours before the dismissals take effect, the Prime Minister may either retract them, enter into a form of negotiations with his 2nd-largest coalition party member, or do nothing - in which case the coalition will be left as of shortly after midnight tonight with only 60 MKs.