Will Sharon be toppled? While Labor Party Chairman Amir Peretz repeatedly denies any intention to agree to a Likud initiative designed to obtain 61 votes in order to set up a temporary government until November, senior Labor members told Ynet two Knesset members with some pull in the party will try to convince Peretz not to rule out the idea.
The initiative in question would see Peretz replace Sharon as prime minister until November 2006 with the support of 61 Knesset members from the Likud, Labor, Shinui, and National Religious Party, thus undermining the PM’s position ahead of the elections.
Peretz, however, is continuing to rule out such a move. His aides say that the proposed maneuver would seriously harm his credibility, and that even if he serves as prime minister for a short period, Peretz would arrive at the elections with the image of a despised and dishonest politician, willing to forsake his reputation in exchange for a few useless months in power.
Some Labor Knesset members are nonetheless applying pressure on Peretz to take up the idea, with one such Labor member telling Ynet that the "61 vote plan is still in the picture."
Meanwhile, Peretz's headquarters announced that the Labor leader's daughter, Shani, has arrived in Israel from Britain in order to help him during the elections campaign and is expected to receive an official role.