The Knesset will vote this evening on no fewer than six different no-confidence motions proposed by the opposition. None of them are expected to pass, and the disengagement-opponents in the Likud and NRP plan to vote in favor of the government. Likud MK Gila Gamliel, a staunch opponent of the plan, told Arutz-7 today that she and her political allies have a strategy:
"We are not interested in toppling the Prime Minister, but rather in thwarting the disengagement plan. We will vote with the government on any issue that is not related to the withdrawal, and will vote against it on everything else. You will notice, therefore, that the Prime Minister has not been making speeches lately in favor of the disengagement... We must, however, be very consistent in concentrating our efforts only against the withdrawal plan, so as to maintain the core group of MKs who oppose the plan."
Arutz-7's Haggai Segal said, "You realize, however, that this situation is very convenient for Prime Minister Sharon, in that when the opposition from left and right oppose him [like today], you come to his aid, but when the disengagement plan comes up for a vote, you and your group will vote against, but Labor will come right in and vote in favor and it will pass."
MK Gamliel: "Look, our idea is like this. We have no desire, Heaven forbid, to topple the Prime Minister. We want him to internalize one clear point: We love, support and back the Prime Minister on every issue - except for the disengagement. On this issue, we are against him. This is the message we want to give him. We don't want to topple him, and we don't want to have Labor join the government. We must be sufficiently responsible and serious to realize that we can't give him justification to bring Labor in to the government, and we thus can't try to topple him on every issue that arises."
A-7: "Do you think you have the parliamentary strength to thwart the disengagement plan when it comes up for a vote in the Knesset?"
MK Gamliel: "At this point in time, the matter is very borderline, and if we don't work correctly, we could lose. We must therefore be very cautious and responsible."
"We are not interested in toppling the Prime Minister, but rather in thwarting the disengagement plan. We will vote with the government on any issue that is not related to the withdrawal, and will vote against it on everything else. You will notice, therefore, that the Prime Minister has not been making speeches lately in favor of the disengagement... We must, however, be very consistent in concentrating our efforts only against the withdrawal plan, so as to maintain the core group of MKs who oppose the plan."
Arutz-7's Haggai Segal said, "You realize, however, that this situation is very convenient for Prime Minister Sharon, in that when the opposition from left and right oppose him [like today], you come to his aid, but when the disengagement plan comes up for a vote, you and your group will vote against, but Labor will come right in and vote in favor and it will pass."
MK Gamliel: "Look, our idea is like this. We have no desire, Heaven forbid, to topple the Prime Minister. We want him to internalize one clear point: We love, support and back the Prime Minister on every issue - except for the disengagement. On this issue, we are against him. This is the message we want to give him. We don't want to topple him, and we don't want to have Labor join the government. We must be sufficiently responsible and serious to realize that we can't give him justification to bring Labor in to the government, and we thus can't try to topple him on every issue that arises."
A-7: "Do you think you have the parliamentary strength to thwart the disengagement plan when it comes up for a vote in the Knesset?"
MK Gamliel: "At this point in time, the matter is very borderline, and if we don't work correctly, we could lose. We must therefore be very cautious and responsible."