Sharon invited Lapid for dinner at his Sycamore Ranch in the Negev in an attempt to convince Shinui to support the budget. If the Knesset does not approve it by March 31, the government will fall automatically, forcing new elections and a delay in the planned removal of Jews from Gaza and northern Samaria.
"I cannot vote for a budget that was the reason we left the government," said Lapid after the meeting with the prime minister. The anti-religious Shinui party voted against the first draft of the budget in the fall because it included a special 270 million shekel ($66 million) supplement requested by the hareidi-religious United Torah Judaism (UTJ) party.
Despite the fruitless discussions, Lapid and Sharon agreed to meet again. Observers do not expect Shinui to vote against the budget if it were to bring about the fall of the government as it would cause the party to be blamed for the delay and perhaps cancellation of the withdrawal.
Lapid has been trying to convince Sharon to form a new Likud-Labor coalition with Shinui replacing the UTJ. Sharon so far has rejected the idea, and the Likud central committee has stipulated that a coalition with Labor must include a religious party. The Shas Sephardi religious party already has voiced opposition to the budget so long as it does not provide more money for poor families.
If the budget is not presented as a vote in confidence for the government, which would require an absolute majority of 61 votes, the Knesset may be able to pass the budget as long as Shinui abstains. Opposing the budget are 23 Knesset members from the Shas, National Union and the National Religious Party, plus Likud "loyalists" who so far have numbered 13. If Shinui were to vote against the budget, the opposition would grow to 51 and force Sharon to woo MKs from the far-left Yahad/Meretz party or the Arab parties.
"I cannot vote for a budget that was the reason we left the government," said Lapid after the meeting with the prime minister. The anti-religious Shinui party voted against the first draft of the budget in the fall because it included a special 270 million shekel ($66 million) supplement requested by the hareidi-religious United Torah Judaism (UTJ) party.
Despite the fruitless discussions, Lapid and Sharon agreed to meet again. Observers do not expect Shinui to vote against the budget if it were to bring about the fall of the government as it would cause the party to be blamed for the delay and perhaps cancellation of the withdrawal.
Lapid has been trying to convince Sharon to form a new Likud-Labor coalition with Shinui replacing the UTJ. Sharon so far has rejected the idea, and the Likud central committee has stipulated that a coalition with Labor must include a religious party. The Shas Sephardi religious party already has voiced opposition to the budget so long as it does not provide more money for poor families.
If the budget is not presented as a vote in confidence for the government, which would require an absolute majority of 61 votes, the Knesset may be able to pass the budget as long as Shinui abstains. Opposing the budget are 23 Knesset members from the Shas, National Union and the National Religious Party, plus Likud "loyalists" who so far have numbered 13. If Shinui were to vote against the budget, the opposition would grow to 51 and force Sharon to woo MKs from the far-left Yahad/Meretz party or the Arab parties.