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May 24, 2002/Sivan 13 5762, Vol. 54, No. 36
Sharon plays political hardball
NAOMI SEGAL
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
JERUSALEM - Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is playing coalition hardball.
Two days after firing four Cabinet ministers from the fervently Orthodox Shas Party for failing to support the government's emergency economic plan, Sharon said May 22 he would not change his mind.
His stance is earning him points among some Israelis, who long have accused Shas of pursuing narrow self-interest.
But others question the wisdom of Sharon's firings, aware that Shas support has been crucial to the survival of more than one Israeli government.
On May 22, the Knesset overwhelmingly approved the economic package - after Sharon suffered a humiliating defeat when the package went down in defeat two days earlier.
With support from Likud and Labor legislators who had not taken part in the May 20 vote, the Knesset on May 22 gave preliminary approval to the bill by a 65-26 vote, with seven abstentions.
The bill, which calls for budget cuts of $2.7 billion and raises taxes to fund the increased defense spending necessitated by the intifada, now faces at least one more vote before final passage.
Legislators from the Shas Party, who opposed the bill May 20, absented themselves from the May 22 vote.
After firing Shas and United Torah Judaism ministers and deputy ministers for opposing the bill on May 20, Sharon remained firm, saying the dismissals would not be rescinded.
A fifth Shas minister who is not a legislator resigned.
Opinion polls published May 22 showed wide public support for Sharon's move.
After announcing the firings, Sharon reportedly instructed aides to break off all contact with Shas officials, including refusing to take their phone calls.
Commentators hailed Sharon for standing up to the powerful Shas Party where other prime ministers, including his Labor predecessor, Ehud Barak, had capitulated.
Sharon has a number of options before him, they said, including bringing the secular Shinui Party, which has six Knesset seats, into the coalition.
Without Shas, which has 17 Knesset seats, and UTJ, which has five, Sharon's coalition will shrink from 82 to 60 of the Knesset's 120 seats.
Political observers are questioning how far Sharon can go in depending on the Labor Party, which is suffering its own internal strains.
Although the Shas Party's spiritual leader, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, accused Sharon of "ingratitude," he instructed ministers to keep the door open for further negotiations.
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