Israel's Hawkish Opposition Leader Vows to Topple GovernmentIsrael's right-wing opposition Likud leader Ariel Sharon said Tuesday that he would go all out to topple Prime Minister Ehud Barak's government, sending a clear signal that the chances for Likud to join an emergency government are slim."What is left is to work as fast as we can to find a replacement government to that of Mr Barak," Sharon told Israel's Army Radio after a bid to form a unity coalition failed to yield a final agreement over the last few days. "We cannot support Barak and his failed government and we will make every effort to replace him. It's clear already that it will take another month, another few months, but these are already the last gasps of the government," Sharon said. The furious pledges have reflected Sharon's frustration at his failure to secure an emergency government with Barak, and at the fact that Barak managed to rally the support of the ultra-Orthodox Shas party from outside government for four weeks while conducting intensive coalition talks with Likud. The promised support from Shas, the third largest parliamentary bloc after Barak's Labor party and Likud, will help block a proposed bill by Likud to dissolve the Knesset (parliament). Analysts here believe that Barak had been using diversionary tactics and secret meetings to secure a "safety net" from Shas and the left-wing Meretz party. Meretz, a staunch supporter of peace, was worried that Sharon's inclusion in the government would hamper the peace process as the hawkish leader's controversial visit to a disputed holy site in East Jerusalem on September 28 has triggered the month-long bloody clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinians and the wrath of the entire Arab world. Shas, a political rival of Likud, was motivated to extend Barak a helping hand since it does not want to become a weaker partner in a coalition between Labor and Likud. The ultra-Orthodox party quit the coalition government in July on the eve of the Camp David summit. In return for the promised support, Barak has agreed to implement a revised recovery program for Shas's money-strapped educational network, transferring about 20 million shekels (about 480 U.S. dollars) to the network. The prime minister also promised to freeze the civil reforms package he unveiled two months ago, especially those reforms concerning the conscription of yeshiva students for army service and the dismantling of the Religious Affairs Ministry, previously headed by Shas party. In the meantime, Likud's tough demand made it difficult for Barak to clinch a deal with Sharon, who has vehemently opposed the resumption of the peace process on the basis of the July Camp David summit and demanded that early elections be called within six months if Barak violates any coalition agreement. On Sunday night, Barak reportedly compromised over the veto power demand from Sharon and agreed to grant Sharon pre-approval in a number of substantial issues concerning the peace process if an emergency government was formed. The prime minister has, however, rejected Sharon's early elections demand. In another development, Barak's Labor party is continuing efforts to expand support to the government. Justice Ministers Yossi Beilin and acting Interior Minister Haim Ramon are meeting members of the United Torah Judaism Party to explore whether the Orthodox party is willing to grant Barak a "safety net" while the situation crisis continues. Yisrael Ba'aliya, or the immigrants party, has submitted a new confidence motion in the prime minister for not advancing promised reform on religion and state. |
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