Last-minute contacts have already begun in an effort to find a compromise that will enable Prime Minister Sharon to withdraw his dismissal letters to the National Union ministers. If these efforts fail, however, the NRP is expected to resign from the government very soon after the Cabinet vote.
Over the course of the past two days, several government ministers met intensively to try to draft a compromise - and progress was admittedly very slow, if at all. Welfare Minister Zevulun Orlev led those within the NRP who supported the compromise proposal that might have enabled the NRP to remain within the government. Suddenly last night, however, the efforts were circumvented by Sharon's refusal to accept the continued transfer of some funding to the Jewish towns in Gaza. Sharon then declared on television that he planned to fire Elon and Lieberman. Orlev said afterwards that he feels that Sharon tricked him, and that the "carpet was removed from under my feet." He is still not certain that the NRP must quit the coalition, however.
MK Sha'ul Yahalom (NRP) told Voice of Israel today, "We are approaching a situation that is closer to a dictatorship than to a democracy. To fire ministers because they don't agree with him is totally non-democratic! Let's imagine, for instance, that Sharon would decide to declare war on Afghanistan, and finds, in a secret poll of the ministers, that he has the support of only three. Is it conceivable that he would then fire the other 20 ministers and say that the Government of Israel voted to go to war on Afghanistan?!"
Yahalom explained what was the "final straw" that caused the compromise negotiations to blow up yesterday: "We demanded the removal of the clause freezing all funding to the Gaza towns, because what's the difference whether a bulldozer tears down the town or if the town is choked to death by not providing it with money for kindergartens, schools and municipal salaries?"
Three political scenarios are foreseen. Click here for story.
Over the course of the past two days, several government ministers met intensively to try to draft a compromise - and progress was admittedly very slow, if at all. Welfare Minister Zevulun Orlev led those within the NRP who supported the compromise proposal that might have enabled the NRP to remain within the government. Suddenly last night, however, the efforts were circumvented by Sharon's refusal to accept the continued transfer of some funding to the Jewish towns in Gaza. Sharon then declared on television that he planned to fire Elon and Lieberman. Orlev said afterwards that he feels that Sharon tricked him, and that the "carpet was removed from under my feet." He is still not certain that the NRP must quit the coalition, however.
MK Sha'ul Yahalom (NRP) told Voice of Israel today, "We are approaching a situation that is closer to a dictatorship than to a democracy. To fire ministers because they don't agree with him is totally non-democratic! Let's imagine, for instance, that Sharon would decide to declare war on Afghanistan, and finds, in a secret poll of the ministers, that he has the support of only three. Is it conceivable that he would then fire the other 20 ministers and say that the Government of Israel voted to go to war on Afghanistan?!"
Yahalom explained what was the "final straw" that caused the compromise negotiations to blow up yesterday: "We demanded the removal of the clause freezing all funding to the Gaza towns, because what's the difference whether a bulldozer tears down the town or if the town is choked to death by not providing it with money for kindergartens, schools and municipal salaries?"
Three political scenarios are foreseen. Click here for story.