Over 600 Likud Central Committee members gathered last night in a Tel Aviv hall for an event entitled, "The Likud is not Disengaging." Among the Likud members showing their extreme displeasure with Prime Minister Sharon's unilateral withdrawal/expulsion/disengagement plan were Minister Natan Sharansky and MKs David Levy, Yuli Edelstein, Gila Gamliel, Chaim Katz and Ayoub Kara. The speakers called on Ariel Sharon to withdraw his withdrawal plan.
Ironically, the presence of some of the MKs at the gathering prevented their voting in the Knesset yesterday in favor of a bill against the removal of Yesha communities. The bill, proposed by Knesset Yesha lobby leader MK Yechiel Chazan, stipulated that no community in Judea, Samaria and Gaza may be removed or demolished without the approval of an absolute majority of the Knesset. Prime Minister Sharon, surprisingly, voted in favor, but the bill was narrowly defeated by a 44-43 vote. Knesset correspondent Haggai Seri-Levy reported that there was some confusion as to when the bill would be voted upon. At least two MKs who supported the bill were unable to make it for personal reasons: Eliezer Cohen (National Union) had a medical appointment, and the aunt of Michael Eitan (Likud) passed away in the mid-morning. Other MKs who did not show up for the vote included Binyamin Netanyahu, Tzachi HaNegbi, Zevulun Orlev, Yitzchak Levy, Danny Naveh, Meir Porush, Omri Sharon, Avraham Ravitz, Moshe Kachlon, Ze'ev Boim, and several Shas MKs.
Leading the campaign against the law, aside from the left-wing opposition, was the Shinui Party and its 15 MKs.
Ironically, the presence of some of the MKs at the gathering prevented their voting in the Knesset yesterday in favor of a bill against the removal of Yesha communities. The bill, proposed by Knesset Yesha lobby leader MK Yechiel Chazan, stipulated that no community in Judea, Samaria and Gaza may be removed or demolished without the approval of an absolute majority of the Knesset. Prime Minister Sharon, surprisingly, voted in favor, but the bill was narrowly defeated by a 44-43 vote. Knesset correspondent Haggai Seri-Levy reported that there was some confusion as to when the bill would be voted upon. At least two MKs who supported the bill were unable to make it for personal reasons: Eliezer Cohen (National Union) had a medical appointment, and the aunt of Michael Eitan (Likud) passed away in the mid-morning. Other MKs who did not show up for the vote included Binyamin Netanyahu, Tzachi HaNegbi, Zevulun Orlev, Yitzchak Levy, Danny Naveh, Meir Porush, Omri Sharon, Avraham Ravitz, Moshe Kachlon, Ze'ev Boim, and several Shas MKs.
Leading the campaign against the law, aside from the left-wing opposition, was the Shinui Party and its 15 MKs.