New Israeli Government Forming with a Majority of 13 in the Knesset!
April 29, 2006
http://www.tribulationperiod.com/
It appears that Shas will soon agree to sign the merger agreement to form a new Israeli government, even though it is opposed to some of the settlements being unilaterally withdrawn from the West Bank.
If they do, and all goes well with the other parties merging in, then it would give the new government 73 out of 160 seats in the Knesset.
Once all the parties are on board, the majority of 13 should hold together until unilateral withdrawal begins from the West Bank, at which time the political fur will fly, and things will get very dicey as to which settlements will and will not be pulled out.
The following article from the DEBKAfile Report gives the latest details of the current political maneuvering.
Begin DEBKAfile Report
A Core Agreement is Signed as Basis of a New Israeli Government Dominated by Left-of-Center and Ultra-Religious Factions
April 27, 2006, 9:10 PM (GMT+02:00)
Ehud Olmert’s Kadima concluded an accord with Amir Peretz’s Labor Thursday, April 27, after closing a deal with the Pensioners’ list to form a lineup commanding 55 seats in Israel’ s 120-
strong parliament.
With the two ultra-religious parties Shas and Torah Judaism lining up to join, the Olmert government will have a comfortable parliamentary majority of 73 to support his declared policy of unilateral disengagement from part of the West Bank by within the next two years.
Shas and other factions, such as the Russian immigrants’ Israeli Beitenu, oppose this policy but calculate on having enough time to opt out before it is due to
be enforced.
The portfolios awarded Labor include defense, education, tourism, agriculture and infrastructure plus an extra minister in the defense ministry to make up for the Labor leader’s lack of experience in security affairs.
The Pensioners Party gain the health ministry and a ministerial-rank post on senior citizens’ affairs in the prime minister’s office. Portfolios reserved for Shas are industry and commerce, communications and a ministerial post for religious affairs.
Olmert has still to hand out portfolios to his Kadima party, having reserved the treasury and interior for starters.
End DEBKAfile Report
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