Yesterday's political drama ended somewhat anti-climactically, with the Cabinet approving a watered-down version of the disengagement plan. Although the withdrawal is not scheduled to be voted on before March 2005, the Prime Minister said yesterday, "The disengagement process has begun. Today, the Government decided that it is Israel's intention to relocate all Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip and four settlements in Samaria by the end of 2005."
Under the terms of the compromise proposal patiently hammered out by Minister Tzippy Livny, the Cabinet confirmed an amended disengagement plan, specifying, "this does not include the dismantling of Jewish communities." The next several months will be marked by "preparatory work," as detailed in "Appendix III." After this work is completed, the government will "again convene to decide on whether or not to dismantle communities, which ones and at what rate, depending on the circumstances at the time." The 25 communities will be divided into four groups, and separate votes are to be held on each group, assumedly at separate times.
Appendix III states that during the "preparations period," all municipal and other services in the communities slated for destruction will continue in the communities as before, except that no new building permits will be issued. An exceptions committee will be established that will be "authorized to unfreeze frozen plans and to freeze construction that has already been started - each case according to its own merits and the standards that will be determined." The committee will be headed by the Director of the Prime Minister's Bureau, with the participation of the Directors of the Finance and Justice Ministries.
Ministers Netanyahu, Livnat and Shalom agreed to vote for the plan because of several "improvements" that were inserted. It does not state that the government "is obligated" to evacuate the Jewish towns, but rather "intends" to do so; it does not include specific dates; and the "letters of understanding" exchanged between Sharon and US President Bush - which refer to the destruction of all 25 communities (21 in Gaza and four in northern Shomron) at once, as opposed to in four phases - are not "included" in the plan but are rather "exhibited."
Voting in favor were: Sharon, Netanyahu, Livnat, Shalom, Mofaz, Olmert, Livny, Sheetrit, Ezra and the five Shinui Party ministers.
Among the seven who voted against were the two NRP ministers, as well as five of the Likud: Minister without Portfolio Uzi Landau, Health Minister Naveh, Public Security Minister HaNegbi, Diaspora Affairs Minister Sharansky, and Agriculture Minister Yisrael Katz. Landau was rumored to be considering resigning this afternoon, but later said that this was not true.
After the vote, many ministers showed visible signs of relief and even joy, and some of them even embraced. This sparked an outburst by Minister Eitam of the NRP: "The government is decreeing the fate of thousands of Jews, and the ministers are not embarrassed to rejoice?! ... This plan leads directly to the expulsion of thousands of Jews, and the creation of a Hamas state on a platter of Jewish blood," he declared.
Under the terms of the compromise proposal patiently hammered out by Minister Tzippy Livny, the Cabinet confirmed an amended disengagement plan, specifying, "this does not include the dismantling of Jewish communities." The next several months will be marked by "preparatory work," as detailed in "Appendix III." After this work is completed, the government will "again convene to decide on whether or not to dismantle communities, which ones and at what rate, depending on the circumstances at the time." The 25 communities will be divided into four groups, and separate votes are to be held on each group, assumedly at separate times.
Appendix III states that during the "preparations period," all municipal and other services in the communities slated for destruction will continue in the communities as before, except that no new building permits will be issued. An exceptions committee will be established that will be "authorized to unfreeze frozen plans and to freeze construction that has already been started - each case according to its own merits and the standards that will be determined." The committee will be headed by the Director of the Prime Minister's Bureau, with the participation of the Directors of the Finance and Justice Ministries.
Ministers Netanyahu, Livnat and Shalom agreed to vote for the plan because of several "improvements" that were inserted. It does not state that the government "is obligated" to evacuate the Jewish towns, but rather "intends" to do so; it does not include specific dates; and the "letters of understanding" exchanged between Sharon and US President Bush - which refer to the destruction of all 25 communities (21 in Gaza and four in northern Shomron) at once, as opposed to in four phases - are not "included" in the plan but are rather "exhibited."
Voting in favor were: Sharon, Netanyahu, Livnat, Shalom, Mofaz, Olmert, Livny, Sheetrit, Ezra and the five Shinui Party ministers.
Among the seven who voted against were the two NRP ministers, as well as five of the Likud: Minister without Portfolio Uzi Landau, Health Minister Naveh, Public Security Minister HaNegbi, Diaspora Affairs Minister Sharansky, and Agriculture Minister Yisrael Katz. Landau was rumored to be considering resigning this afternoon, but later said that this was not true.
After the vote, many ministers showed visible signs of relief and even joy, and some of them even embraced. This sparked an outburst by Minister Eitam of the NRP: "The government is decreeing the fate of thousands of Jews, and the ministers are not embarrassed to rejoice?! ... This plan leads directly to the expulsion of thousands of Jews, and the creation of a Hamas state on a platter of Jewish blood," he declared.