Sharon may back down

In case of Knesset defeat, PM may hold separate vote on Olmert appointment; as vote approaches, Sharon a few votes short of majority that would allow him to pass three ministerial appointments

Ilan Marciano|Last update: 11.07.05 , 19:17

What will Sharon do if he loses the vote? The prime minister is apparently preparing for the possibility of a Knesset rejection of his three new ministerial appointments and could ask to split the vote as early as Monday evening.

In that case, the Knesset will be asked to hold a separate vote on the appointment of Ehud Olmert as finance minister, a move that is expected to garner a majority. In order to bring a modified proposal, Sharon will have to amend the previous government decision on the matter, apparently through a phone survey among government ministers.

According to estimates, Sharon is about two or three supporters short of passing all three ministerial appointments: Olmert, Boim, and Bar-On. Associates of the PM engaged in intense efforts to convince three more Likud members to back the appointments, as tensions rise ahead of the vote, scheduled for about 8 p.m. Monday.

Meanwhile, senior Likud members who met with Sharon said “he looks exhausted and realizes he’ll be losing this evening.”

Rebels say 'No' to Sharon

Earlier, Likud “rebels” have announced their decision to vote against Sharon’s ministerial appointments during the Knesset vote on the issue.

Eight “rebels” including Benjamin Netanyahu and Uzi Landau, decided to back the compromise proposed by MKs Michael Eitan and Gideon Saar to end the Likud rift, but remain steadfast in their opposition to the appointments of MKs Ronnie Bar-On and Zeev Boim to ministerial posts and the appointment of Deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to permanent finance minister.

Sharon, for his part, has also accepted the compromise, but is demanding that the party implement the compromise at once and vote in unison – to this the “rebels” object.

MKs Haim Katz and Lea Nass also took part in the "rebels'" discussion, but did not commit to raising their hand against the appointment. Moshe Kahlon and Gilad Erdan have not reached a decision yet.

MK Ayoob Kara, who has already made up his mind against the appointment, accused the prime minister Monday morning of "insisting on creating for himself an image of a mobster, who pays back favors also at the price of disassembling the Likud and bringing forward the elections."

In the meeting, Kara also harshly criticized Deputy Minister Ruhama Avraham, saying that "You received the role of a deputy minister during your first Knesset term. This is the mother of all prostitutions."

No Majority for Sharon?

In light of the "rebels'" objection to the appointment, Sharon will not have a majority in the Knesset. For now, he is determined to bring the three appointments as one, and not to separate the vote on Olmert's appointment – expected to pass by a large majority - from the other votes. If Sharon loses the vote, the State of Israel will be left without a finance minister.

Knesset Chairman, MK Reuven Rivlin, may eventually rescue the government by imposing the separation of the votes. Rivlin said that he would do so only if he received 61 signatures of MKs requesting the split or if the prime minister himself should request it.

"We may find ourselves in a deeper crisis than we thought," he said in the Likud faction meeting.

And for those who have forgotten, Israel also has an official opposition. Its chairman, MK Yosef Lapid (Shinui), requested his faction members for the right to abstain in the vote on Olmert's appointment, if the votes will be split, due to their personal friendship. The faction rejected his request by a large majority.

Also MK Mitzna (Labor) announced that he would oppose the ministerial appointments, which he views as political corruption.