Monday - 22:00 – Prime Minister Ariel Sharon a short time ago suffered a defeat in the Knesset – a symbolic but painfully real indication of his waning support among his coalition members and even members of his own Likud Party.
The vote was based on Mr. Sharon’s address to the Knesset today, an address to the opening session of the winter assembly. Sharon’s main focus surrounded his Gaza Disengagement Plan and the government’s dramatic fiscal recovery plan. Sharon stated “we have a mandate to make critical decisions”, calling for unity in the parliament to make the Gaza plan a reality, to expel the Jews of Gaza and the northern Shomron in order to advance the political process with the PA.
Despite his attempt to deliver his remarks in a benign atmosphere, hoping to gain the support of left and right-wing parties, Sharon failed to muster the necessary votes to emerge with a stamp of approval from parliamentarians. His position suffered a 53-44 defeat, another sign many believe that the current coalition’s days are numbered.
While cabinet ministers stalled the vote by filibustering the Knesset, Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom met with National Religious Party members and the so-called “Likud rebels”, those party members who refuse to turn their backs on the party’s platform of a greater Land of Israel. The Likud “rebels” are adamant opponents of the Gaza plan, insisting they will not betray the party’s illustrious history – adding they will not deceive voters who elected a Likud government to defend against the land concessions of Labor and the political left.
In a last minute pressure tactic, Shalom told his colleagues that the prime minister will not hesitate to lure Labor into a national unity coalition government if he suffers a defeat in the vote – but to no avail. Labor voted against the prime minister, explaining that while the party would have supported his call for implementing the Gaza plan, Labor is too opposed to the government’s fiscal reform plan and therefore was compelled to cast a ballot against the prime minister.
As for the National Religious Party, MKs Effie Eitam and Yitzhak Levy voted against the prime minister. The remaining NRP MKs, four in number, along with the Likud loyalists, opted to refrain from voting rather than to cast their ballots against Sharon.
The prime minister’s facial expression said it all – he emerged defeated and weakened as he struggles to push his Gaza agenda which has already been voted down in his party’s referendum.
Sharon announced that on October 25th, he will bring his Gaza plan to the plenum for debate, expecting to emerge with the Knesset’s stamp of approval. This analysts explain is critical since Sharon is well aware that early elections may soon become a reality and he is seeking to arm himself with Knesset approval for his Gaza plan should he once again be compelled to turn to the nation for a vote a support at the polls.
In the meantime, Gaza residents and supporters this week are stepping up activities, bringing their message around the country. The effort will culminate on Thursday when demonstrations against the Gaza expulsion plan are scheduled in no less than one hundred locations nationwide.
The vote was based on Mr. Sharon’s address to the Knesset today, an address to the opening session of the winter assembly. Sharon’s main focus surrounded his Gaza Disengagement Plan and the government’s dramatic fiscal recovery plan. Sharon stated “we have a mandate to make critical decisions”, calling for unity in the parliament to make the Gaza plan a reality, to expel the Jews of Gaza and the northern Shomron in order to advance the political process with the PA.
Despite his attempt to deliver his remarks in a benign atmosphere, hoping to gain the support of left and right-wing parties, Sharon failed to muster the necessary votes to emerge with a stamp of approval from parliamentarians. His position suffered a 53-44 defeat, another sign many believe that the current coalition’s days are numbered.
While cabinet ministers stalled the vote by filibustering the Knesset, Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom met with National Religious Party members and the so-called “Likud rebels”, those party members who refuse to turn their backs on the party’s platform of a greater Land of Israel. The Likud “rebels” are adamant opponents of the Gaza plan, insisting they will not betray the party’s illustrious history – adding they will not deceive voters who elected a Likud government to defend against the land concessions of Labor and the political left.
In a last minute pressure tactic, Shalom told his colleagues that the prime minister will not hesitate to lure Labor into a national unity coalition government if he suffers a defeat in the vote – but to no avail. Labor voted against the prime minister, explaining that while the party would have supported his call for implementing the Gaza plan, Labor is too opposed to the government’s fiscal reform plan and therefore was compelled to cast a ballot against the prime minister.
As for the National Religious Party, MKs Effie Eitam and Yitzhak Levy voted against the prime minister. The remaining NRP MKs, four in number, along with the Likud loyalists, opted to refrain from voting rather than to cast their ballots against Sharon.
The prime minister’s facial expression said it all – he emerged defeated and weakened as he struggles to push his Gaza agenda which has already been voted down in his party’s referendum.
Sharon announced that on October 25th, he will bring his Gaza plan to the plenum for debate, expecting to emerge with the Knesset’s stamp of approval. This analysts explain is critical since Sharon is well aware that early elections may soon become a reality and he is seeking to arm himself with Knesset approval for his Gaza plan should he once again be compelled to turn to the nation for a vote a support at the polls.
In the meantime, Gaza residents and supporters this week are stepping up activities, bringing their message around the country. The effort will culminate on Thursday when demonstrations against the Gaza expulsion plan are scheduled in no less than one hundred locations nationwide.