Israeli Opposition Vows to Foil Jerusalem ConcessionsAll Israeli parties in the opposition, except the religious United Torah Judaism, have expressed support for an early election bill and pledged to thwart any attempt by Prime Minister Ehud Barak to make concessions on Jerusalem.Heads of the opposition factions in the Knesset (Parliament) met on Monday at the invitation of Likud leader Ariel Sharon and issued a statement to that effect. Sharon later told Israel Radio that they had agreed on ways to foil the division of Jerusalem and bring down the government. "We shall do everything in our power to cause the collapse of this government and set up a national unity government in its place," he said. Barak is negotiating with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat at Camp David in the United States on the toughest issues including Jerusalem, Palestinian refugees, Jewish settlements, borders and water sources. He has indicated the willingness to consider forming a national unity government in case the ongoing Camp David summit ends in failure. In a telephone conversation with chair of the immigrants' party Yisrael Ba'aliya, Natan Sharansky, on Saturday night, Barak said that if the Camp David talks collapse, "a national emergency government is definitely an option to be taken into account." In another development, the Likud and National Union-Yisrael Beiteinu parties withdrew their no-confidence motions scheduled for Monday against Barak over the Camp David negotiations. They said they did so because of the prime minister's absence. However, Knesset Member Michael Kleiner's one-man Herut faction has decided to press ahead its no-confidence motion. Last week, Klener's no-confidence motion was boycotted by almost all the other factions after he insisted on submitting it in defiance of standard Knesset practice. The motion won a majority of 4-2, with two absentions. Likud leaders criticized the move, calling it unseemingly to carry out a parliamentary move of such importance while the prime minister was on a mission on the nation's behalf. Also on Monday, Christian church leaders in Jerusalem have planned to meet Palestinian Minister for Jerusalem Affairs Faisal Husseini to discuss the status of Jerusalem and the implications of the Camp David negotiations on them. The church heads have also requested meetings with Israeli officials. |
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