Excerpts from speeches delivered at the Likud convention on Wednesday night
(and see also here) :
Minister Gideon Ezra:
"The Prime Minister is in need of great support. He is the leader, and he knows what has to be done." In response to the demand not to allow Labor into the coalition, Ezra asked, "Why is Shinui better than Labor? Why is Shas better?"
Prime Minister Sharon:
"There are moments in the life of a nation that it must make difficult decisions. The State of Israel has reached this moment... This is the responsibility that is placed upon the Likud and its members, on me and also on you... Ever since I established this government, I knew that the current coalition is the best one. We could have continued with it, but it requires the entire Likud faction to support its decisions. Without that, there is no choice but to expand the coalition. One cannot demand that it not be expanded while at the same time working against its decisions... This behavior of some within the Likud is not worthy of members of the ruling party. It is liable to bring the Likud to the brink of a split..."
Deputy Minister Michael Ratzon opened by saying, "The longing for the Land of Israel is the glue that unites us," and then read a poem of love for the land by Yemenite poet R. Shalom Shabazi. He later turned to Prime Minister Sharon and said,
"I recognize you as first among equals, but you must remember that all of us - those on the stage and those in the audience - are all equal... One cannot request [the Likud members'] support while at the same time ignoring [them] the entire way. The entry of the Labor Party would be a historic mistake that will lead us more and more to the left until we bypass even [Yossi] Beilin. We need not revive the dying empty Labor Party, whose future is behind her, and we need not turn the Likud into hostages of the Labor Party, which will then decide when to topple the government and remove us from power. But worst of all is that we are disengaging from our own public - the land of Israel, the people of Israel, the tradition of Israel - this is the true Likud! We must stand for our right-wing voters - traditionalists, residents of the outlying neighborhoods and development towns. Who will vote for the Likud if we join up with Labor and implement their ideology?"
Continuing to address Sharon, Ratzon said,
"I followed you for many years. I volunteered for a military high school because I wanted to be a hero like you. I defended you before the media when they called you a traitor and a murderer [in the early 1980's], I stood with signs supporting you when it wasn't popular, I was with you in Judea and Samaria in fighting terrorism and in establishing the settlement enterprise. To stand against you now is a crisis for me. But - what happened to you? Did the left-wing press scare you off? Certainly it's enjoyable to be warmly embraced - but by whom?! By [extreme left-wing] Yoel Marcus of Haaretz?!"
Minister Uzi Landau, head of the anti-disengagement camp in the Likud:
"I am in favor of peace with security, and I know that this has a price that involves painful compromises... But I am not in favor of the fact that we had to force the party to hold this convention by turning to the Likud Court. For two years, the Likud and its institutions have been trampled... We have been subject to hearing talk of 'occupation' and unilateral withdrawals and that those who object to this are an extreme fringe group...
"The government is stable, and it has a majority. [Mr. Prime Minister,] maintain the NRP, return the National Union, keep United Torah Judaism on our side - but don't include Labor! Listen to [Labor MKs] Vilnai and Mitzna and Ramon. They say that they will evacuate the Yesha communities with the Likud, and then they'll leave the government and cause new elections. We all know that with this government, you can - unfortunately - pass the disengagement plan, so why do you need Labor? Is there something we don't know? Maybe we should ask Ehud Olmert who said that quitting Gaza is just the beginning? Do you need Labor in order to help you continue the uprootings?"
(and see also here) :
Minister Gideon Ezra:
"The Prime Minister is in need of great support. He is the leader, and he knows what has to be done." In response to the demand not to allow Labor into the coalition, Ezra asked, "Why is Shinui better than Labor? Why is Shas better?"
Prime Minister Sharon:
"There are moments in the life of a nation that it must make difficult decisions. The State of Israel has reached this moment... This is the responsibility that is placed upon the Likud and its members, on me and also on you... Ever since I established this government, I knew that the current coalition is the best one. We could have continued with it, but it requires the entire Likud faction to support its decisions. Without that, there is no choice but to expand the coalition. One cannot demand that it not be expanded while at the same time working against its decisions... This behavior of some within the Likud is not worthy of members of the ruling party. It is liable to bring the Likud to the brink of a split..."
Deputy Minister Michael Ratzon opened by saying, "The longing for the Land of Israel is the glue that unites us," and then read a poem of love for the land by Yemenite poet R. Shalom Shabazi. He later turned to Prime Minister Sharon and said,
"I recognize you as first among equals, but you must remember that all of us - those on the stage and those in the audience - are all equal... One cannot request [the Likud members'] support while at the same time ignoring [them] the entire way. The entry of the Labor Party would be a historic mistake that will lead us more and more to the left until we bypass even [Yossi] Beilin. We need not revive the dying empty Labor Party, whose future is behind her, and we need not turn the Likud into hostages of the Labor Party, which will then decide when to topple the government and remove us from power. But worst of all is that we are disengaging from our own public - the land of Israel, the people of Israel, the tradition of Israel - this is the true Likud! We must stand for our right-wing voters - traditionalists, residents of the outlying neighborhoods and development towns. Who will vote for the Likud if we join up with Labor and implement their ideology?"
Continuing to address Sharon, Ratzon said,
"I followed you for many years. I volunteered for a military high school because I wanted to be a hero like you. I defended you before the media when they called you a traitor and a murderer [in the early 1980's], I stood with signs supporting you when it wasn't popular, I was with you in Judea and Samaria in fighting terrorism and in establishing the settlement enterprise. To stand against you now is a crisis for me. But - what happened to you? Did the left-wing press scare you off? Certainly it's enjoyable to be warmly embraced - but by whom?! By [extreme left-wing] Yoel Marcus of Haaretz?!"
Minister Uzi Landau, head of the anti-disengagement camp in the Likud:
"I am in favor of peace with security, and I know that this has a price that involves painful compromises... But I am not in favor of the fact that we had to force the party to hold this convention by turning to the Likud Court. For two years, the Likud and its institutions have been trampled... We have been subject to hearing talk of 'occupation' and unilateral withdrawals and that those who object to this are an extreme fringe group...
"The government is stable, and it has a majority. [Mr. Prime Minister,] maintain the NRP, return the National Union, keep United Torah Judaism on our side - but don't include Labor! Listen to [Labor MKs] Vilnai and Mitzna and Ramon. They say that they will evacuate the Yesha communities with the Likud, and then they'll leave the government and cause new elections. We all know that with this government, you can - unfortunately - pass the disengagement plan, so why do you need Labor? Is there something we don't know? Maybe we should ask Ehud Olmert who said that quitting Gaza is just the beginning? Do you need Labor in order to help you continue the uprootings?"