Ramon even expressed his thanks to the demonstrators who crowded Rabin Square last night, because, according to Ramon, Prime Minister Sharon now knows that he can do what he wants. While the demonstrators will continue to demonstrate, Ramon explained, the people who addressed the rally yesterday are sitting in the government today.
Michael Kleiner of the Herut Party had similar criticism of the demonstration. It was "lacking any teeth," he said. "Sharon knows that the right-wing parties won’t leave the government. So, while government ministers address the crowd and speak out against the Road Map, they make no attempt to bring down the Sharon government and many are actively participating in the founding of a Palestinian state," Kleiner said.
Commenting on the Sunday night rally, Prime Minister Sharon said: "Things are decided not by demonstrators, but by the government. The government adopted the Road Map and if there are members of the government there [at the rally], they also participated in that decision. I believe in order to reach peace, Israel will not be able to hold on to all the Jewish communities. I have said that many times."
Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin sat with other government ministers and Likud members on the stage at last night’s demonstration, but declined to address the crowd. "Let Sharon look at the rostrum and make his political calculations," Rivlin told reporters. "If he wants to carry out his unilateral separation plan, he should take into consideration that he will have to hold new elections."
Michael Kleiner of the Herut Party had similar criticism of the demonstration. It was "lacking any teeth," he said. "Sharon knows that the right-wing parties won’t leave the government. So, while government ministers address the crowd and speak out against the Road Map, they make no attempt to bring down the Sharon government and many are actively participating in the founding of a Palestinian state," Kleiner said.
Commenting on the Sunday night rally, Prime Minister Sharon said: "Things are decided not by demonstrators, but by the government. The government adopted the Road Map and if there are members of the government there [at the rally], they also participated in that decision. I believe in order to reach peace, Israel will not be able to hold on to all the Jewish communities. I have said that many times."
Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin sat with other government ministers and Likud members on the stage at last night’s demonstration, but declined to address the crowd. "Let Sharon look at the rostrum and make his political calculations," Rivlin told reporters. "If he wants to carry out his unilateral separation plan, he should take into consideration that he will have to hold new elections."