Friday, 18 February 2005Gil Hoffman
The decision to withdraw from settlements in the Gaza Strip and northern Samaria that will come to a vote in Sunday's cabinet meeting includes a clause requiring additional cabinet approval for all four stages of the withdrawal, according to an advance copy of the bill sent to ministers on Thursday.
The clause was added to the disengagement bill in June to secure the support of Finance Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Education Minister Limor Livnat and Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom.
Livnat had expressed concern that the clause would be left out of Sunday's decision, because Labor has joined the coalition and because of a ruling by Attorney-General Menahem Mazuz requiring that settlers be given five months notice for dismantling settlements. But after seeing the decision, with four-stage clause intact, Livnat said she would have no problem voting in favor.
"The government will reconvene before this withdrawal to discuss the current situation and examine whether it should impact the withdrawal," the clause says ÔÇô essentially requiring that each of the four stages of planned settlement removal will require separate ministerial approval.
Sharon's associates said that because the clause was included and because there was no chance of forcing a national referendum on the prime minister, Livnat, Shalom and Netanyahu had no reason to oppose the decision. If as expected, Livnat and Shalom vote in favor and Netanyahu against, the decision is expected to pass by an 18-5 margin.
"It will be very strange if Netanyahu votes against it," a Sharon associate said. "If he opposes the decision, he will only harm himself. I hope his mind gets the better of him."
Labor ministers convened at their party's Tel Aviv headquarters on Thursday and decided that on Sunday they would all vote in favor of the decision and a separate vote on including Gush Etzion inside the security fence. Military officials outlined the route of the new fence to the ministers.
"This is a security route that is intended to defend the citizens of Israel from terror without veering outward for political reasons," Vice Prime Minister Shimon Peres said.
Following Sunday's cabinet meeting, Sharon intended to shift his attention to passing the final readings of the 2005 state budget. Sharon's associates said they would seek votes from several parties in the following order of preference: the so-called Likud rebels, Shas, Yahad, Shinui and the Arab parties.
In order to pressure the rebels, Sharon's allies in the Likud central committee circulated a petition calling on the rebels to vote in favor of the budget. The petition, with hundreds of signatures, is expected to be presented to Likud MKs next week. |
Friday, 18 February 2005
Jerusalem Post
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