Housing Minister Effie Eitam, head of the National Religious Party, told Arutz-7 today that he is determined to quit the government if it approves Sharon's retreat-and-expulsion plan. "However," he said, "at this stage, we still want to give Sharon time to back out, and that's why we split up yesterday in the no-confidence vote: the two ministers voted in favor of the government, while the MKs absented themselves." The government narrowly squeaked by the votes, winning by a 47-45 majority. Asked whether Binyamin Netanyahu is a worthy candidate to succeed Sharon if necessary, Eitam said, "The events of these times show that the day is coming closer when only men of Torah will be worthy of bearing the burden of leadership for the State of Israel."
The other right-wing party in the government - the National Union - will, for all intents and purposes, quit the government coalition next week if Prime Minister Sharon does not present his Gaza retreat plan to the Cabinet at the next meeting this Sunday. The National Union has two ministers and five other MKs; the NRP has two ministers and four other MKs. Their resignation will leave the coalition with 55 MKs in the 120-member Parliament.
The NU Knesset faction sent a letter of ultimatum to Prime Minister Sharon yesterday - a "rough copy" of which was previewed yesterday in an Arutz-7 article, and the full text of which appears below:
"Of late, you have publicized the 'disengagement plan' that essentially means a unilateral withdrawal from large parts of Judea, Samaria and Gaza, involving the destruction of dozens of blossoming Jewish communities and the uprooting of thousands of Jewish residents from their land.
"This plan stands in absolute contrast to our Jewish and Zionist world outlook, according to which our obligation is to build Jewish settlements and not uproot them; and to base our security on national strength, and not on a panicky retreat that will be a prize of encouragement to terrorism.
"We hope with all our hearts that you will reverse yourself in time from this wretched and catastrophic plan. But if you plan in any event to carry it out, you are duty-bound to bring it, now, for debate and vote in the framework of the entire government, before it is brought to foreign elements for their perusal and consent - including the US Administration and the Palestinian Authority.
"If the government decides to adopt this plan, we will resign immediately and fight against it with all the parliamentary and public tools. On the other hand, if it does not have a majority in the Cabinet, you must bury it and stop trying to advance it whilst sowing confusion and fear among the public.
"As loyal partners in the government up until now, we wish to make clear in the firmest manner that you have no right at all to turn us into partners against our will to the ruinous disengagement plan that is nothing more than fruit of your own personal view. Neither do you have a right to present this plan as Prime Minister without conducting a debate and vote in the government. This is in opposition to all normal governing procedure, and represents nothing less than a deceit of the public.
"We expect your answer before the next Cabinet meeting, and wish to make clear that if our demand to bring this for Cabinet debate and vote is not met, we will no longer view ourselves as obligated to government decisions and to coalition discipline on the parliamentary plane. We cannot be expected to display loyalty to the government when the Prime Minister himself ignores it."
Yesterday afternoon, the NRP faction decided to resign from the government if Prime Minister Sharon leaves for Washington with his plan to uproot the Jewish Gaza communities. This was the result of a meeting between NRP leaders and former Chief Rabbis Avraham Shapira and Mordechai Eliyahu. The Yesha Council had also previously declared that the only way to stop the plan would be to make clear that the coalition would fall if Sharon proceeds with it.
National Union leaders also met with Rabbis Shapira and Eliyahu, as well as with Rabbis Chaim Steiner and Zalman Melamed, late this morning.
The other right-wing party in the government - the National Union - will, for all intents and purposes, quit the government coalition next week if Prime Minister Sharon does not present his Gaza retreat plan to the Cabinet at the next meeting this Sunday. The National Union has two ministers and five other MKs; the NRP has two ministers and four other MKs. Their resignation will leave the coalition with 55 MKs in the 120-member Parliament.
The NU Knesset faction sent a letter of ultimatum to Prime Minister Sharon yesterday - a "rough copy" of which was previewed yesterday in an Arutz-7 article, and the full text of which appears below:
"Of late, you have publicized the 'disengagement plan' that essentially means a unilateral withdrawal from large parts of Judea, Samaria and Gaza, involving the destruction of dozens of blossoming Jewish communities and the uprooting of thousands of Jewish residents from their land.
"This plan stands in absolute contrast to our Jewish and Zionist world outlook, according to which our obligation is to build Jewish settlements and not uproot them; and to base our security on national strength, and not on a panicky retreat that will be a prize of encouragement to terrorism.
"We hope with all our hearts that you will reverse yourself in time from this wretched and catastrophic plan. But if you plan in any event to carry it out, you are duty-bound to bring it, now, for debate and vote in the framework of the entire government, before it is brought to foreign elements for their perusal and consent - including the US Administration and the Palestinian Authority.
"If the government decides to adopt this plan, we will resign immediately and fight against it with all the parliamentary and public tools. On the other hand, if it does not have a majority in the Cabinet, you must bury it and stop trying to advance it whilst sowing confusion and fear among the public.
"As loyal partners in the government up until now, we wish to make clear in the firmest manner that you have no right at all to turn us into partners against our will to the ruinous disengagement plan that is nothing more than fruit of your own personal view. Neither do you have a right to present this plan as Prime Minister without conducting a debate and vote in the government. This is in opposition to all normal governing procedure, and represents nothing less than a deceit of the public.
"We expect your answer before the next Cabinet meeting, and wish to make clear that if our demand to bring this for Cabinet debate and vote is not met, we will no longer view ourselves as obligated to government decisions and to coalition discipline on the parliamentary plane. We cannot be expected to display loyalty to the government when the Prime Minister himself ignores it."
Yesterday afternoon, the NRP faction decided to resign from the government if Prime Minister Sharon leaves for Washington with his plan to uproot the Jewish Gaza communities. This was the result of a meeting between NRP leaders and former Chief Rabbis Avraham Shapira and Mordechai Eliyahu. The Yesha Council had also previously declared that the only way to stop the plan would be to make clear that the coalition would fall if Sharon proceeds with it.
National Union leaders also met with Rabbis Shapira and Eliyahu, as well as with Rabbis Chaim Steiner and Zalman Melamed, late this morning.