National Religious Party leader MK Effie Eitam has given a surprise order to convene the party's Central Committee within two weeks. The objective: A fateful decision on whether to quit the government or not.
Eitam has scheduled the session for just prior to the Cabinet's upcoming debate on a critical disengagement-plan law - one that would provide advance compensation payments to residents of Gaza and northern Shomron who willingly leave their homes. MK Eitam will propose that if the government in fact approves such legislation, the party's remaining four MKs should resign from the government coalition. The two other MKs, Eitam and Rabbi Yitzchak Levy, resigned from the government three months ago.
"The political establishment's moment of truth has arrived," Eitam said last night, "and Sharon must choose between the disengagement plan and the continued existence of the government."
The government currently numbers only 58 MKs, not including Shinui's Yossi Paritzky who has not been seen in the Knesset since he was fired in disgrace almost two months ago. However, if four more MKs resign, it is assumed that Sharon will not be able to proceed as head of the government without either inviting other parties to join - a task that has proven quite difficult - or asking the Knesset to dissolve itself.
The NRP has been embroiled in a dispute about its future in the government over the past three months. Welfare Minister Zevulun Orlev, Eitam's political rival, says that the party must remain in the government to fight against the disengagement "from within," as well as to be able to work for other societal needs.
Eitam, however, has said that the expulsion ball has already begun rolling and there is no stopping it from within, and that the NRP's continued presence in the government merely props it up until it [the party's presence] is no longer needed. "The thought that we should remain in a government with which we don't agree just because someone else might replace us is the type of thought that can destroy an ideological movement," Eitam said when he resigned.
In response to Eitam's decision to convene the party faithful, Orlev said, "I am happy that NRP Chairman Effie Eitam recognizes the existence of the Committee, and has remembered, three months late, that this is the body that must decide whether the party remains in the government or not. I hope that this means he will accept any decision, even if it negates his opinion."
Eitam has scheduled the session for just prior to the Cabinet's upcoming debate on a critical disengagement-plan law - one that would provide advance compensation payments to residents of Gaza and northern Shomron who willingly leave their homes. MK Eitam will propose that if the government in fact approves such legislation, the party's remaining four MKs should resign from the government coalition. The two other MKs, Eitam and Rabbi Yitzchak Levy, resigned from the government three months ago.
"The political establishment's moment of truth has arrived," Eitam said last night, "and Sharon must choose between the disengagement plan and the continued existence of the government."
The government currently numbers only 58 MKs, not including Shinui's Yossi Paritzky who has not been seen in the Knesset since he was fired in disgrace almost two months ago. However, if four more MKs resign, it is assumed that Sharon will not be able to proceed as head of the government without either inviting other parties to join - a task that has proven quite difficult - or asking the Knesset to dissolve itself.
The NRP has been embroiled in a dispute about its future in the government over the past three months. Welfare Minister Zevulun Orlev, Eitam's political rival, says that the party must remain in the government to fight against the disengagement "from within," as well as to be able to work for other societal needs.
Eitam, however, has said that the expulsion ball has already begun rolling and there is no stopping it from within, and that the NRP's continued presence in the government merely props it up until it [the party's presence] is no longer needed. "The thought that we should remain in a government with which we don't agree just because someone else might replace us is the type of thought that can destroy an ideological movement," Eitam said when he resigned.
In response to Eitam's decision to convene the party faithful, Orlev said, "I am happy that NRP Chairman Effie Eitam recognizes the existence of the Committee, and has remembered, three months late, that this is the body that must decide whether the party remains in the government or not. I hope that this means he will accept any decision, even if it negates his opinion."