"Dismantling Jewish communities in Gush Katif and northern Samaria would endanger Israel," Shas party spiritual leader Rabbi Ovadia Yosef said Saturday night. "Next, they will chase Jews out of Ashkelon, Hevron and Be'er Sheva; there will be no end!"
Speaking in his weekly Saturday night sermon, which drew much more press coverage than usual given its political content and ramifications, Rabbi Yosef ruled that the 11 Shas MKs - and others - must vote against Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's disengagement plan. The Rabbi's decision stonewalled Sharon’s attempt to win an impressive majority in the Knesset when the disengagement bill comes to a first reading on Tuesday.
Rabbi Yosef pleaded with other parties' Knesset members to vote "their conscience" when they vote on the plan. “If terrorists shoot and kill, what will you answer? How have you done such a thing to endanger Israel? This constitutes an absolute threat to residents of Ashkelon who would be within range of Kassam rockets."
He made it clear that he essentially objects to the unilateral nature of the withdrawal. "Thirty years ago, I ruled in accordance with the formula of 'Land for Peace.' But now, even the government admits that there is no one to talk to and there is no partner. There is no peace.”
Sharon’s camp was hoping that Shas MKs would at least abstain in the vote, but Rabbi Yosef ridiculed the idea: “If you see a baby drowning in the river, do you say, ‘Let’s abstain’?”
He made his decision after listening to proponents and opponents of the plan. Defense Minister Sha'ul Mofaz tried to convince the rabbi last week to support the plan, but apparently was unable to provide a satisfying explanation as to how Israel would defend itself after moving Jews out of the area and withdrawing its army.
Sharon’s camp had picked up momentum last week when Mofaz left the meeting with Rabbi Yosef thinking that he had the votes in the bag. Labor party members had said they would try to pressure the United Torah Judaism MKs to support the bill, and Sharon’s faction in the Likud was trying to broker a deal with the "Likud MKs faithful to the party platform" who are against the plan. Most of these initiatives now appear to have failed.
Rabbi Yosef’s strong opposition effectively robs Sharon of a psychological victory which he hoped would have demoralized his opponents following his broadside attack last week on leaders of communities in Judea, Samaria and Gaza (Yesha). He virtually ignored Yesha leaders’ arguments in a two-hour meeting, prompting representatives of the Gush Katif communities to cancel the Prime Minister’s request for a similar meeting.
Sharon now is dependent on the opposition - mostly Arabs and left-wing MKs - for what is expected to be about 67 votes in favor of the first reading of the disengagement bill, the easiest step in what promises to be a long and winding road. Labor Party Chairman Shimon Peres said Saturday night that most of the Knesset is against Sharon. “We have a strange situation that the opposition is going to support the Prime Minister while his own party is against him,” he added.
Sharon, already fearing a possible no-confidence vote in two weeks when the Knesset is to discuss the 2005 budget, announced he will remove from the budget bill the huge expenditures for dismantling 25 Jewish communities, making it a separate clause. Cabinet Minister Uzi Landau, head of the anti-disengagement faction, said the Prime Minister’s move will enable him to vote for the budget.
Sharon also has threatened to fire any cabinet minister who does not support the disengagement bill's first reading, prompting Landau to reply, “I am not afraid. If the plan is approved Tuesday, it will be due to support from the leftist parties. Less than a third of the supporters are from the Likud.”
A Shas Party Faction Meeting
Rabbi Yosef pleaded with other parties' Knesset members to vote "their conscience" when they vote on the plan. “If terrorists shoot and kill, what will you answer? How have you done such a thing to endanger Israel? This constitutes an absolute threat to residents of Ashkelon who would be within range of Kassam rockets."
He made it clear that he essentially objects to the unilateral nature of the withdrawal. "Thirty years ago, I ruled in accordance with the formula of 'Land for Peace.' But now, even the government admits that there is no one to talk to and there is no partner. There is no peace.”
Sharon’s camp was hoping that Shas MKs would at least abstain in the vote, but Rabbi Yosef ridiculed the idea: “If you see a baby drowning in the river, do you say, ‘Let’s abstain’?”
He made his decision after listening to proponents and opponents of the plan. Defense Minister Sha'ul Mofaz tried to convince the rabbi last week to support the plan, but apparently was unable to provide a satisfying explanation as to how Israel would defend itself after moving Jews out of the area and withdrawing its army.
Sharon’s camp had picked up momentum last week when Mofaz left the meeting with Rabbi Yosef thinking that he had the votes in the bag. Labor party members had said they would try to pressure the United Torah Judaism MKs to support the bill, and Sharon’s faction in the Likud was trying to broker a deal with the "Likud MKs faithful to the party platform" who are against the plan. Most of these initiatives now appear to have failed.
Rabbi Yosef’s strong opposition effectively robs Sharon of a psychological victory which he hoped would have demoralized his opponents following his broadside attack last week on leaders of communities in Judea, Samaria and Gaza (Yesha). He virtually ignored Yesha leaders’ arguments in a two-hour meeting, prompting representatives of the Gush Katif communities to cancel the Prime Minister’s request for a similar meeting.
Sharon now is dependent on the opposition - mostly Arabs and left-wing MKs - for what is expected to be about 67 votes in favor of the first reading of the disengagement bill, the easiest step in what promises to be a long and winding road. Labor Party Chairman Shimon Peres said Saturday night that most of the Knesset is against Sharon. “We have a strange situation that the opposition is going to support the Prime Minister while his own party is against him,” he added.
Sharon, already fearing a possible no-confidence vote in two weeks when the Knesset is to discuss the 2005 budget, announced he will remove from the budget bill the huge expenditures for dismantling 25 Jewish communities, making it a separate clause. Cabinet Minister Uzi Landau, head of the anti-disengagement faction, said the Prime Minister’s move will enable him to vote for the budget.
Sharon also has threatened to fire any cabinet minister who does not support the disengagement bill's first reading, prompting Landau to reply, “I am not afraid. If the plan is approved Tuesday, it will be due to support from the leftist parties. Less than a third of the supporters are from the Likud.”