Sharon wooing small parties

JERUSALEM - Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is engaged in efforts aimed at eliciting small party support ahead of what is shaping up as a too close to call budget vote. In a meeting between Sharon and Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Wednesday, Sharon realized he couldn’t count on the support of religious party Shas, or even his former coalition partner, Shinui. With the so-called Likud “rebels” threatening to vote against the budget in an effort to thwart the disengagement plan, Sharon has no choice but to battle for every vote. A failure to pass the budget by the end of March would bring the government down and force new elections - a prospect that is certain to at least delay the implementation of the Gaza pullout. On Thursday, Sharon embarked on a series of meeting in a bid to convince one-member factions to support the budget. Most of the efforts are aimed at convincing Knesset Members Michael Nudelman, David Tal, and Joseph Paritzky to come on board. At the moment, 56 Knesset members are poised to vote against the budget, including the 14 Shinui members and the 13 Likud rebels. On the other side of the divide are 55 Knesset members, including 26 from the Likud and 19 from Labor, who are expected to support the budget. As it stands now, both right-wing and Arab factions are set to oppose the budget. However, Sharon’s latest efforts are leaving Shinui members fuming “If Sharon thinks he’s got us in his pocket, he’s wrong,” one senior party member said. “He shouldn’t wait to the last moment to talk to us.” Shinui officials say party chairman Yosef (Tommy) Lapid is upset that Sharon is not making efforts to convince Shinui to vote for the budget. “Tommy was insulted that Sharon is talking with Paritzky and Nudelman, but not with him,” a senior party official said. “Sharon invited him for goulash once and he thinks that’s enough? As the days pass, more party members are starting to support Avraham Poraz’s call to topple the government. Some party officials believe that the party could only benefit from early elections this summer. According to Poraz’s assessments, the Likud is set to split – a prospect that could boost Shinui’s power. The former interior minister also says the disengagement plan is “stronger than Sharon” and would be implemented even if he were not in power.

Sharon wooing small parties

Upcoming budget vote forces prime minister to vie for small faction support after realization that Shinui and Shas backing not guaranteed