In the Labor Party, the issue of controversy at present are the upcoming internal party elections. In a letter this week to the 2,500 members of the party's Central Committee, Barak calls for quick elections so that the party will be ready for the national elections "that we all know will be held in 2005."
Barak was critical of the party leaders, whose names he did not mention, who are "not providing leadership" and are working to hold the internal party elections some time next year. "A winning candidate [for the national elections] must be chosen in advance," Barak wrote, "and he must be given time to lead. It would not be correct to put ourselves into an emergency rush 60 days before the election [by choosing a candidate only then]."
Other party seniors have different ideas on the timing for the internal election – largely based on the premise that "Barak must be stopped." MK Chaim Ramon sharply attacked Barak this morning, saying that "Barak wants to schedule elections around the hole in his travel schedule abroad." Ramon said that Barak should not let his own personal ambitions distract the party from what should be its main concern, namely, "getting our children out of Gaza."
Other party leaders, such as Shimon Peres, Matan Vilnai, and Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, wish to hold the party elections some time next year. The MKs have held various meetings on the issue, and it appears that it will be decided in a Central Committee vote this coming Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the ruling Likud Party faces severe challenges to its minority coalition government from several directions. Labor, which has abstained in previous no-confidence motions in order to prop up the "disengagement" government, now plans to submit its own no-confidence motion this coming Monday.
In addition, the Likud is threatened by its lone remaining coalition partner, Shinui. Prime Minister Sharon and Finance Minister Binyamin Netanyahu continue in their efforts to garner a majority for their proposed 2005 budget by trying to reach an agreement with the United Torah Judaism faction – but Shinui has all but vetoed this. Shinui leader Justice Minister Tommy Lapid threatened this week to vote against the budget and to bolt the coalition if the hareidi party receives more money than Shinui deems acceptable.
In light of Lapid's threat, and in light of other difficulties in the negotiations, a Likud-UTJ meeting scheduled for last night was postponed.
An even more significant threat for Sharon has been proffered by at least three MKs of his own party. David Levy, Yuli Edelstein and Chaim Katz – all strong opponents of Sharon's disengagement policy – say they may vote against the budget. "It's about time the Prime Minister begins negotiations with his own party colleagues as well," Edelstein said yesterday.
Interior Minister Avraham Poraz, the #2 man in Shinui, gave voice to the feelings of many when he said yesterday, "Sharon faces great opposition from within his own party and from without. In our opinion, even if he succeeds, with great effort, in getting UTJ's support for the budget, this government will not survive for long, and it's a waste of effort."