Netanyahu aides: Shas, Shinui cannot be united
In order to thwart dissolving of Knesset, any MK must recruit 61 supporters in Knesset; MK Sa'ar: It can be done; Netanyahu aides: Yishai, Lapid cannot be united; Shinui Chairman: We shall not join rightist-ultra orthodox government
Ilan MarcianoFor the second time, Ariel Sharon's term as prime minister ends by going to the president and resigning.
If the move succeeds, the Knesset will in fact become irrelevant. Once President Moshe Katsav accepts his resignation, Sharon will have the possibility to appoint and dismiss ministers without the Knesset's permission, but he will not be allowed to implement "significant political or economic moves." On his road to elections, Sharon will have to overcome a few more hurdles.
According to Israeli law, following a prime minister's resignation the president appoints one of the Members of Knesset to try and form a new government. The president allocates 21 days for the mission, with the option of an additional extension of two weeks. In the current parliamentary situation, this seems impossible.
Theoretically, MKs Benjamin Netanyahu or Uzi Landau could recruit the right-wing and ultra-orthodox factions, which include five members of the National Union, four members of the National Religious Party, 11 members of Shas, five members of Degel Hatorah and Agudat Yisrael, and of course the remains of the Likud faction, which are expected to include 25 to 30 MKs.
The 14 members of Shinui may also constitute a foundation for a government headed by Netanyahu.One of Netanyahu's aides told Ynet Monday morning that he has not intention to exert efforts in achieving a majority of 61 MKs, because "putting Yishai (Shas Chairman) and Lapid (Shinui Chairman) under one roof would be impossible."
'He will have to perform a face lift on the party'
As for the historical move of splitting the Likud, the aide said that "For the long term, it is good and democratic that Sharon is leaving the Likud. His agenda is inappropriate and it is better that he leaves than forces the Likud to accept his viewpoint."
"All the sparks of establishing a new party will eventually evaporate and the end of Sharon's party will be similar to that of the Democratic Movement for Change and the Center Party."
Regarding Netanyahu's plans for the near future, his aide said that "he will have to perform a face lift on the party and add figures to its leadership." He added that Netanyahu was trying to add former Chief-of-Staff Moshe Yaalon.
On the other hand, MK Gideon Sa'ar, chairman of the Knesset's Likud faction, believes that a new coalition can be formed, also without Shinui.
"Don’t take part in bringing down the Likud, a process with only one purpose of dissolving the Likud," Sa'ar said Monday morning.
"At the moment, a group of undecided MKs are being greatly pressured by the prime minister's supporters. We must protect the Likud against those who are trying to destroy it, and we can form a coalition with Shas, Agudat Yisrael, the National Religious Party and the National Union. It is the Likud members' decision to do so," he added.
In the meantime, both Shinui Chairman Yosef Lapid and Shas Chairman Eli Yishai declared that they were headed toward elections.
"We must go to elections, the sooner the better. There is no point in efforts to form a coalition of 61 MKs," Yishai told Sa'ar.
"Shinui will not join a rightist coalition headed by Netanyahu and supported by the ultra-orthodox parties," Shinui faction Chairman Reshef Chayne told Ynet, adding that not only will Shinui be in political disagreement with such a government, but that it will also refuse to take part in granting money to the religious parties.
"We will also not be a part of an ultra-socialist leftist coalition headed by Peretz, because we object to his economic moves, and because his political agenda clashes with Shinui's," he said.
In the meantime, Sharon is dedicating all of his time and efforts in the establishment of a new party. His son, Omri Sharon, conducted talks with Likud MKs overnight and on Monday morning.
Sharon's key number is 14 MKs. If he succeeds in causing one-third of the faction to follow him, the move would be considered as dividing
the faction and not leaving it. In such a case, Sharon will earn a status of a recognized faction, with funding units and screen time on the television and radio election broadcasts.
A senior Likud member told Ynet that without 14 MKs Sharon will pay a very high price, "But it is unlikely that he would implement such a move unless this number was covered."