Sharon and Olmert - PM increasingly open to compromise
Photo: AFP
Will compromise deal save Knesset?
Sharon may agree for separate votes on proposed ministerial appointments, paving way for Likud rebels’ support for appointment of finance minister, thus averting early elections
With four days to go before the Knesset votes on Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s new ministerial appointments, the ruling Likud party remains divided, but a compromise deal currently in the works could resolve the crisis for now and avert early elections.
However serious, the current row within the ranks of the ruling party is not about broad national issues such as disengagement from Gaza and revolves around the rebel’s refusal to voice their parliamentary support for an initiative by Sharon to promote three Likud MKs to ministerial posts: The appointments of Ehud Olmert as permanent Finance Minister, Ronnie Bar-On as Industry, Trade and Labor Minister and Zeev Boim as Minister of Immigrant Absorption.
On Thursday, Ynet has learned that a Knesset legal team is inclined to rule that the prime minister has no choice but to present the appointments separately, Olmert as finance minister in one proposal, Boim and Bar-On in another.
Sharon showing willingness to compromise
Earlier, the rebels said they may be willing to approve Olmert’s appointment as finance minister, thus allowing the government to function properly. Without a finance minister it would appear Sharon would have no choice but to call for early elections
Meanwhile, some Likud MKs are working hard to narrow the rift. The fruits of reconciliatory efforts were manifest in a Thursday morning meeting between the prime minister and Likud Knesset Members Gideon Saar and Michael Eitan, with Sharon showing increasing willingness to compromise with the rebels.
Earlier, Saar and Eitan visited Sharon’s two fiercest rivals, former ministers Benjamin Netanyahu and Uzi Landau.
