The mini-Cabinet voted almost unanimously today to approve the principles of the evacuation and compensation law, as drawn up by a Justice Ministry committee. The Likud ministers, including Netanyahu, Shalom and Livnat, voted in favor, and the only nay vote was that of Welfare Minister Zevulun Orlev of the National Religious Party.
Orlev later explained, "I don't know how we can pay advance compensation if the Knesset has not yet passed a law for the withdrawal. In addition, I don't know how we can set a time at which non-residents will be forbidden from entering the areas: This is not a time to separate families, and a measure like this merely sharpens and deepens the problems; the government must find ways to unite and not to lead to civil war."
"In addition," Orlev continued with increasing agitation, "I was angry with the Justice Minister who said that I merely want to appease the 'Feiglinim' [a derogatory reference to members of the Manhigut Yehudit faction, headed by Moshe Feiglin, with the Likud]. For him to say that I, Zevulun Orlev, want to appease the Feiglinim?! It appears as if Lapid wants to sharpen his knives against us the same way he did with the hareidim."
The NRP Knesset faction said it would turn to the Supreme Court to have today's decision nullified. "The approval of advance payments for an uprooting that has not yet been decided upon is unreasonable and illegal."
Today's decision is of three parts: The authorization of the bodies that are to carry out the uprooting, after the government makes the decision to do so; a detailed plan to compensate residents, businesses and public bodies; and approval of advance payments in the immediate future.
NRP leader MK Effie Eitam said that his party's decision of last night (see below) "gave the green light to approve advance compensation payments - a way of bribing the settlers in order to foster dissention amongst them. This is moral corruption that is not worthy of a civilized country." As if to ratify his words, extreme left-wing MK Ran Cohen (Meretz) said, "We had better implement the granting of reparations quickly, before the extremists thwart the process."
Orlev later explained, "I don't know how we can pay advance compensation if the Knesset has not yet passed a law for the withdrawal. In addition, I don't know how we can set a time at which non-residents will be forbidden from entering the areas: This is not a time to separate families, and a measure like this merely sharpens and deepens the problems; the government must find ways to unite and not to lead to civil war."
"In addition," Orlev continued with increasing agitation, "I was angry with the Justice Minister who said that I merely want to appease the 'Feiglinim' [a derogatory reference to members of the Manhigut Yehudit faction, headed by Moshe Feiglin, with the Likud]. For him to say that I, Zevulun Orlev, want to appease the Feiglinim?! It appears as if Lapid wants to sharpen his knives against us the same way he did with the hareidim."
The NRP Knesset faction said it would turn to the Supreme Court to have today's decision nullified. "The approval of advance payments for an uprooting that has not yet been decided upon is unreasonable and illegal."
Today's decision is of three parts: The authorization of the bodies that are to carry out the uprooting, after the government makes the decision to do so; a detailed plan to compensate residents, businesses and public bodies; and approval of advance payments in the immediate future.
NRP leader MK Effie Eitam said that his party's decision of last night (see below) "gave the green light to approve advance compensation payments - a way of bribing the settlers in order to foster dissention amongst them. This is moral corruption that is not worthy of a civilized country." As if to ratify his words, extreme left-wing MK Ran Cohen (Meretz) said, "We had better implement the granting of reparations quickly, before the extremists thwart the process."