Analysis / There will be no referendum

Despite the Likud Central Committee's support for a referendum, Sharon needs only 4 Likud members to vote against it to stop the law being passed

By Attila Somfalvi|Published: 03.04.05 , 02:12

Hundreds of ballots with the words "in favor of" were cast at the Likud Central Committee meeting Thursday.

However, this would not change a simple fact: There will be no referendum. Sharon clarified this to the 828 members calling for him to go home.

Even if the majority of Likud, Shas, National Unity and the National Religious Party members would vote in favor of a referendum at the Knesset vote, it would only take four or five Likud members to "spoil the party" and prevent the proposed referendum bill from being passed.

The law would require a majority of 61 members.

But at a closer glance, it seems it is not too difficult to find four Likud members who would object to the referendum. Two of them, by the way, both share the same last name, "Sharon".

The other candidates are Vice Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, who both voted against the referendum at the central committee meeting.

A committee disconnected from its leader

While the Likud Central Committee may be called detached from reality or far-right, one should not slam those who did turn up to vote.

The very people who greeted Finance Minister Binyamin Netanyahu with great applause calling out "Bibi, Bibi" and who greeted Sharon with "Go home" and "Dictator, resign" are the members of the most powerful and influential political central committee in the country.

But, it is also a committee disconnected from its leader, Sharon, his opinions and beliefs.

While Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom both spoke directly to the committee members, Sharon spoke to the viewers at home.

In the eyes of the committee, Netanyahu is possibly the next prime minister, even though various surveys indicate he does not stand a chance against Sharon.

But committee members don't interest Sharon, the public interests him, as they are the ones who cast their ballots and vote in elections.

The referendum does not interest many

Only 800 people attended the committee meeting. Sharon's close associates rejoiced. They said in order to legitimize a national referendum one third of all central committee members need to be present.

The poor turn out demonstrates that the referendum does not interest many of the committee's members. They chose not to leave their homes and take part in a boisterous and unnecessary show.

However, the committee's gathering definately demonstrates who truly dictates the country's agenda. It is not the majority, but rather an organized and noisy minority.