Opposition Leader Shimon Peres To Plead Sharon’s Case For Withdrawal To Rabbi Ovadia Yosef Before Crucial Knesset Vote Analyst David Essing: ‘Prime Minister Sharon Will Need Decisive Victory Next Tuesday To Stem Mounting CampaignAgainst His Withdrawal Plan’ ‘Shas Party Holds the Key’
On October 25th, the Knesset is set for an historic vote on Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s plan to withdraw from the Gaza Strip and 4 West Bank settlements by the end of next year. Although the common wisdom is that Sharon will garner a majority, analyst David Essing says the Prime Minister needs a decisive win to stem campaign being mounted by opponents to the withdrawal.
Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, the spiritual mentor of the Shas ultra-orthodox party is now at the center of Tuesday’s crucial vote. Even Opposition leader Shimon Peres is getting into the act on behalf of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
In his weekly Saturday night sermon, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef is expected to announce how he will instruct the eleven Knesset members of Shas to vote on the withdrawal issue. With Labor’s support, Sharon is considered to have a majority without Shas; but how the ultra-orthodox Sepharadi party votes is now of key importance in the clash which could spark an early election or even civil strife.The expected vote count in the 120 member parliament looks something like this:
For withdrawal
Against
Likud
–
23
Likud
–
17
Labor
–
22
National Union
–
9
NRP
–
5
Shinui
–
15
Arab Mks
–
2?
Yachad
–
6
Arab MKs
–
2
Others
–
1
Total
68
Total
32
This outcome would be a decisive victory for Sharon; sources close to Sharon say some of the Likud rebels, who fear their party’s wrath, would then be able to stop opposing the pullout because they had tried and lost. Moreover, such an outcome would be viewed as a reflection of public opinion, ‘the wind out of the sails’ of the opponents. But, if Shas votes against Sharon, it could turn into a rallying call against the pullout. Channel One TV and several Israeli newspapers say Rabbi Ovadia has already decided to vote against; this could be the reason that Opposition leader Shimon Peres is to meet with him to plead the case for withdrawal.Although Sharon managed to block a vote move in his Likud Knesset on a national referendum, the ‘rebels’ are still pushing hard. They are now demanding a vote after a special caucus committee presents its findings next week following the Knesset vote. Likud cabinet minister Uzi Landau says the fate of Israel is now at stake and the withdrawal decision must taken by the Israeli people.