Dalia Itzik, chairperson of the Labor party Knesset faction, said today that she is establishing a team of her party colleagues whose job will be to convince the representatives of the Hareidi religious parties - Shas and United Torah Judaism - to support Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's "disengagement" plan. Itzik said that she attaches great importance to obtaining a large majority in favor of Sharon's plan in the Knesset vote on the issue next week.
In other signs of left-wing support of Prime Minister Sharon's policies on the Land of Israel, government secretary Yisrael Maimon met with MK Itzik this morning in talks aimed at coordinating the activities of the Likud and Labor parties ahead of next week's vote on "disengagement."
Meanwhile, a proposed deal between Likud factions would leave Prime Minister Sharon with the support of the Likud opponents of "disengagement", in exchange for the Prime Minister's agreement to hold a national referendum on the plan.
Cabinet Ministers Limor Livnat, Binyamin Netanyahu and Silvan Shalom are working to reach an agreement with the Likud members opposed to Sharon's plan. According to the proposed quid pro quo, anti-disengagement Likud members will vote for the plan next week, or at least abstain, and the Prime Minister will agree to hold a national referendum. Arutz-7 correspondent Hagai Seri reports that at least some of the Likud platform loyalists have not ruled out the deal.
In other signs of left-wing support of Prime Minister Sharon's policies on the Land of Israel, government secretary Yisrael Maimon met with MK Itzik this morning in talks aimed at coordinating the activities of the Likud and Labor parties ahead of next week's vote on "disengagement."
Meanwhile, a proposed deal between Likud factions would leave Prime Minister Sharon with the support of the Likud opponents of "disengagement", in exchange for the Prime Minister's agreement to hold a national referendum on the plan.
Cabinet Ministers Limor Livnat, Binyamin Netanyahu and Silvan Shalom are working to reach an agreement with the Likud members opposed to Sharon's plan. According to the proposed quid pro quo, anti-disengagement Likud members will vote for the plan next week, or at least abstain, and the Prime Minister will agree to hold a national referendum. Arutz-7 correspondent Hagai Seri reports that at least some of the Likud platform loyalists have not ruled out the deal.