Knesset Winter Session Begins
The Knesset will begin its winter session this afternoon, and it promises to be a stormy one, with the disengagement, the 2005 national budget, and other controversial issues on the agenda.
Opening remarks will be delivered today by Knesset Speaker Ruby Rivlin, President Moshe Katzav, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, and Opposition Leader Shimon Peres. The Knesset will vote on Sharon's diplomatic statement, in what is usually a taken-for-granted vote of confidence in the Prime Minister - but this time a majority is not assured. Many Likud MKs, as well as the four Knesset Members of the NRP who remain in the government - two left several months ago - threaten to vote against the statement if it mentions the disengagement plan.
The Likud objectors convened this afternoon for a strategy session, while at the same time, staffers of the Prime Minister's Office were making efforts to convince Likud MKs not to vote against Sharon's speech this afternoon. At stake in this particular vote is not the future of the government, but rather Sharon's prestige alone.
Knesset Speaker Ruby Rivlin said this morning, "We have the unusual situation in which much of the coalition objects to the Prime Minister's policies, while those in the opposition object to the government but support the Prime Minister's policies. This is the type of situation that leads to early elections."
Arutz-7's Knesset correspondent Haggai Seri-Levy reports that Sharon said this afternoon, during the Likud Knesset faction meeting, "I'm sure that [the upcoming Knesset session] will be very interesting, but I'm not sure that it will be easy. I hope and believe that with the navigation of the Knesset faction head [MK Gideon Saar, who objects to the disengagement - ed.], and with your help, we will conclude the session in an appropriate and honorable manner. It won't be easy, but it certainly won't be boring." Seri-Levy said that Sharon appeared tense and tired, and did not relate to any of the burning issues of the day.
Labor, which for the last several months has helped to prop up the government, announced that it would no longer do so. Labor is strongly in favor of the unilateral withdrawal from Gaza, and even seriously considered joining the government. However, this no longer appears to be an option, and Labor leader Shimon Peres has taken to harshly criticizing Sharon - though Labor will vote in favor of the disengagement plan in any event. As if to place the new relationship in bold relief, Labor will submit a no-confidence motion in the government today. MK Chaim Ramon, however, is very much against the no-confidence motion, and told his party colleagues today, "The extreme right-wing wants to topple Sharon, because they are against the disengagement. That is why we must not topple Sharon - because our overriding goal must be to get out of Gaza. We can't also submit a no-confidence motion and also support the disengagement." His opinion was not accepted.
In a campaign orchestrated by grassroots Land of Israel supporters, "thousands of emails" - according to a Ynet report - expressing objections to the proposed disengagement/expulsion law have arrived at the inboxes of Knesset Members. Cities of Israel spokesperson Susie Dym explains that the campaign is not aimed at left-wing MKs, but rather at those who already object to the disengagement plan, or have expressed objections in the past. "We want to encourage these MKs to file objections to the bill," Dym says. In general, though not always, MKs' email addresses are composed of their first initial followed by their last name, followed by the suffix "@knesset.gov.il". The email of Likud MK Michael Gorlovski, for instance, is "mgorlovski@knesset.gov.il", while that of Nechemiah (Chemi) Doron of Shinui, a right-wing MK in a left-wing party, is "ndoron@knesset.gov.il".
The Knesset will begin its winter session this afternoon, and it promises to be a stormy one, with the disengagement, the 2005 national budget, and other controversial issues on the agenda.
Opening remarks will be delivered today by Knesset Speaker Ruby Rivlin, President Moshe Katzav, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, and Opposition Leader Shimon Peres. The Knesset will vote on Sharon's diplomatic statement, in what is usually a taken-for-granted vote of confidence in the Prime Minister - but this time a majority is not assured. Many Likud MKs, as well as the four Knesset Members of the NRP who remain in the government - two left several months ago - threaten to vote against the statement if it mentions the disengagement plan.
The Likud objectors convened this afternoon for a strategy session, while at the same time, staffers of the Prime Minister's Office were making efforts to convince Likud MKs not to vote against Sharon's speech this afternoon. At stake in this particular vote is not the future of the government, but rather Sharon's prestige alone.
Knesset Speaker Ruby Rivlin said this morning, "We have the unusual situation in which much of the coalition objects to the Prime Minister's policies, while those in the opposition object to the government but support the Prime Minister's policies. This is the type of situation that leads to early elections."
Arutz-7's Knesset correspondent Haggai Seri-Levy reports that Sharon said this afternoon, during the Likud Knesset faction meeting, "I'm sure that [the upcoming Knesset session] will be very interesting, but I'm not sure that it will be easy. I hope and believe that with the navigation of the Knesset faction head [MK Gideon Saar, who objects to the disengagement - ed.], and with your help, we will conclude the session in an appropriate and honorable manner. It won't be easy, but it certainly won't be boring." Seri-Levy said that Sharon appeared tense and tired, and did not relate to any of the burning issues of the day.
Labor, which for the last several months has helped to prop up the government, announced that it would no longer do so. Labor is strongly in favor of the unilateral withdrawal from Gaza, and even seriously considered joining the government. However, this no longer appears to be an option, and Labor leader Shimon Peres has taken to harshly criticizing Sharon - though Labor will vote in favor of the disengagement plan in any event. As if to place the new relationship in bold relief, Labor will submit a no-confidence motion in the government today. MK Chaim Ramon, however, is very much against the no-confidence motion, and told his party colleagues today, "The extreme right-wing wants to topple Sharon, because they are against the disengagement. That is why we must not topple Sharon - because our overriding goal must be to get out of Gaza. We can't also submit a no-confidence motion and also support the disengagement." His opinion was not accepted.
In a campaign orchestrated by grassroots Land of Israel supporters, "thousands of emails" - according to a Ynet report - expressing objections to the proposed disengagement/expulsion law have arrived at the inboxes of Knesset Members. Cities of Israel spokesperson Susie Dym explains that the campaign is not aimed at left-wing MKs, but rather at those who already object to the disengagement plan, or have expressed objections in the past. "We want to encourage these MKs to file objections to the bill," Dym says. In general, though not always, MKs' email addresses are composed of their first initial followed by their last name, followed by the suffix "@knesset.gov.il". The email of Likud MK Michael Gorlovski, for instance, is "mgorlovski@knesset.gov.il", while that of Nechemiah (Chemi) Doron of Shinui, a right-wing MK in a left-wing party, is "ndoron@knesset.gov.il".