Sharon points finger at Bibi

JERUSALEM - During a stormy government session Sunday, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon hinted that Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Likud members were engaged in efforts aimed at toppling the government. “There’s an attempt to bring down a government,” he said in response to Netanyahu’s remarks regarding West Bank settlement blocs. “Even those who aren’t politicians can’t ignore what’s happening here.” Hinting at Netanyahu’s recent late-night visit at Shas spiritual leader Rabbi Ovadia Yosef’s house, Sharon said an attempt to topple the government took place last week. “We are seeing, time and again, attempts to topple the government,” he said. Labor ministers warn Bibi Meanwhile, Labor party ministers warned Netanyahu that a pullout referendum would force them to quit the government and vote against the state budget. “If the national referendum bill passes, we’re informing you that we’ll immediately resign from the government,” Labor party leader Shimon Peres told Netanyahu. Minister Haim Ramon warned that Labor would quit the government even if one Likud minister votes in favor of a referendum. Rabbi Ovadia Yosef is expected to decide Sunday evening whether to instruct faction members to vote in favor of a referendum. Party Chairman Eli Yishai has already announced that he would recommend that Yosef back referendum calls. “The referendum issue is a question of religious law, and my political recommendation is only one angle the rabbi will consider before making his decision,” Yishai said. During Sunday’s stormy government session, Ramon warned Netanyahu not to get too comfortable. “You are relaxed because you think you have a budget, but you are wrong,” Ramon said. Communication Minister Dalia Itzik also joined the fray, saying “Bibi apparently doesn’t remember that there’s a coalition agreement (between Likud and Labor.)” ‘Labor’s threats are not serious' Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, meanwhile, said he is aware of the hidden motivations of those who call for a national referendum. “I also know the dangers inherent in holding a referendum,” he said. Netanyahu, however, chose to dismiss Labor’s threats. “The claim that a national referendum would topple the government is baseless,” he said. “Labor’s threats to quit are not serious, and are reminiscent of Shinui’s threats to refrain from backing the budget.” The Labor party would not bring down the government because it knows early elections would stop the pullout, Netanyahu said. “A national referendum would enable the continued existence of the government as well as genuine, democratic decision-making on a question that threatens to divide the nation,” he said. Rabbi unlikely to support budget Monday afternoon, after Sharon completes his briefing before the Knesset’s Defense and Foreign Affairs Committee, the prime minister is expected to bury the national referendum bill once and for all. The first Knesset vote tomorrow would be on the referendum question, with Sharon needing the support of only seven Likud members, which he has, to defeat the bill. The prime minister is expected to be aided by Shinui, Yachad, and Arab parties, who said they would vote against the proposal. Under such turn of events, the bill would not pass even if Shas does eventually back a referendum. As a result, the likelihood that Yosef would instruct his party to vote in favor of the proposal is slim.

Sharon points finger at Bibi

During stormy government session, Prime Minister Sharon hints Finance Minister Netanyahu behind attempts to topple government; meanwhile, Labor party ministers warn Bibi over pullout referendum