Attorney General Menachem Mazuz has confirmed the agreement furiously hammered out yesterday among representatives of the President's Office, the Prime Minister's Bureau, the Knesset, and Mazuz. There was some wrangling over details even between the Knesset Speaker and the Law Committee.
The issue in dispute was not only who would actually dissolve the Knesset - the President or the Knesset itself - but also the date of the elections and the authorities of the interim government. As it stands now, the date will be March 28, as the Knesset wanted, while Sharon will be empowered to appoint new ministers to his government.
Sharon feared that following the resignation of the Labor Party ministers, which goes into effect today, and the possible resignation of the Likud ministers, he will be left with only five ministers - Olmert, Hirschson, Sheetrit, Livni and Ezra. The Knesset, on the other hand, fears that he will appoint ministers only out of political considerations.
Defense Minister Sha'ul Mofaz, who is not only remaining in the Likud but has declared his candidacy for the party leadership, said Wednesday that he will not resign his Cabinet post before Election Day.
Within Sharon's new party, named National Responsibility, a measure of tension has already been noted. Figures within the days-old party accuse Finance Minister Ehud Olmert, one of Sharon's chief allies for the past two years, of attempting to shape the party's list of Knesset candidates to suit his political preferences. Olmert, according to the charges, is attempting to place in high positions his allies Ze'ev Boim, Ruchama Avraham, Eli Aflalo and Avraham Hirschson. Other sources said, not necessarily contradictorily, that Ariel Sharon himself will formulate the list of candidates.
The Likud and Labor Party lists, in contrast, will be determined in internal primaries.
Olmert has also come under fire from the Likud for his plans to convene a group of mayors this coming Sunday. Likud members allege that he plans to pressure the mayors - especially those of the Likud - to join his new party by threatening to withhold municipal funding. Olmert denies the charges, saying he is planning to discuss "only general issues."
Likud MK Gilad Erdan has requested of Attorney General Mazuz to order Olmert to call off his meeting with the mayors. "This is an attempt at political bribery," Erdan said, "forbidden at this politically sensitive time."
Outgoing Minister Chaim Ramon plans announced Wednesday that he is leaving the Labor Party and joining Sharon's new party. Ramon is, so far, the only Labor MK to make the switch. He is considered to have been among the first to publicly foresee the current re-arrangement of political parties in Israel. Ramon's decision was greeted with satisfaction within the Likud, as it signifies the Sharon party's leftward tilt and, as such, may even lead some of those who "defected" to return to the Likud.
Minister Yisrael Katz, another candidate for Likud Party chairman, said, "A vote for Sharon is a vote for Ramon. It's now clear that only the Likud can lead the nationalist camp in Israel."
It has been rumored that Shimon Peres may also join the new party, though as of now Peres says he will stick with the Labor Party.
The issue in dispute was not only who would actually dissolve the Knesset - the President or the Knesset itself - but also the date of the elections and the authorities of the interim government. As it stands now, the date will be March 28, as the Knesset wanted, while Sharon will be empowered to appoint new ministers to his government.
Sharon feared that following the resignation of the Labor Party ministers, which goes into effect today, and the possible resignation of the Likud ministers, he will be left with only five ministers - Olmert, Hirschson, Sheetrit, Livni and Ezra. The Knesset, on the other hand, fears that he will appoint ministers only out of political considerations.
Defense Minister Sha'ul Mofaz, who is not only remaining in the Likud but has declared his candidacy for the party leadership, said Wednesday that he will not resign his Cabinet post before Election Day.
Within Sharon's new party, named National Responsibility, a measure of tension has already been noted. Figures within the days-old party accuse Finance Minister Ehud Olmert, one of Sharon's chief allies for the past two years, of attempting to shape the party's list of Knesset candidates to suit his political preferences. Olmert, according to the charges, is attempting to place in high positions his allies Ze'ev Boim, Ruchama Avraham, Eli Aflalo and Avraham Hirschson. Other sources said, not necessarily contradictorily, that Ariel Sharon himself will formulate the list of candidates.
The Likud and Labor Party lists, in contrast, will be determined in internal primaries.
Olmert has also come under fire from the Likud for his plans to convene a group of mayors this coming Sunday. Likud members allege that he plans to pressure the mayors - especially those of the Likud - to join his new party by threatening to withhold municipal funding. Olmert denies the charges, saying he is planning to discuss "only general issues."
Likud MK Gilad Erdan has requested of Attorney General Mazuz to order Olmert to call off his meeting with the mayors. "This is an attempt at political bribery," Erdan said, "forbidden at this politically sensitive time."
Outgoing Minister Chaim Ramon plans announced Wednesday that he is leaving the Labor Party and joining Sharon's new party. Ramon is, so far, the only Labor MK to make the switch. He is considered to have been among the first to publicly foresee the current re-arrangement of political parties in Israel. Ramon's decision was greeted with satisfaction within the Likud, as it signifies the Sharon party's leftward tilt and, as such, may even lead some of those who "defected" to return to the Likud.
Minister Yisrael Katz, another candidate for Likud Party chairman, said, "A vote for Sharon is a vote for Ramon. It's now clear that only the Likud can lead the nationalist camp in Israel."
It has been rumored that Shimon Peres may also join the new party, though as of now Peres says he will stick with the Labor Party.