12/08/2004 Prime Minister Ariel Sharon told his associates yesterday he has decided not to conclude a coalition negotiations before next Wednesday’s Likud conference, where the party is expected to decide on Labor joining the government. Sources at the Prime Minister’s Office said this doesn’t mean Sharon intends to side with those opposed to Labor joining, but he wants to listen to them and take their views into account. Nevertheless, the negotiating teams will continue their work. Sharon and his associates have begun feverish preparations for the conference. The conference, which was forced on Sharon by Minister Uzi Landau and the „rebel” Likud MKs, will force the prime minister to confront the majority of Likud members opposed to the deal. Although the party constitution does not oblige Sharon to take the members’ views into account, losing the vote would create trouble for him within his own fduring the Knesset vote on Labor joining the coalition.
This is also why Sharon decided to fight for the votes of the 3,000 Likud members, rather than „abandon” the field to the energetic „rebels” as they did during the vote on the disengagement plan. Sharon’s men will attempt to prevent a vote, which is being demanded by the „rebels,” and make do with a discussion. The prime minister’s associates, however, estimated yesterday that a vote would ultimately take place. Following a number of meetings set up by the „rebels” in recent weeks, Sharon’s supporters yesterday held a first meeting ahead of the conference. Some 30 Likud branch leaders and several key activists attended the meeting, saying they intend to fight for every vote and give Sharon a noisy backing at the conference. Lists of Likud members were handed out at the meeting, and it was decided that an organizational effort would be undertaken, which will include signs expressing support for Sharon and a dispersal of supporters in the conference hall. A headquarters coordinating the efforts will begin work this morning. Shinui tensions Tensions are rising in Shinui ahead of the party conference which is expected to decide whether the party can join a coalition with United Torah Judaism, (UTJ) a move supported by Justice Minister Yosef Lapid and Interior Minister Avraham Poraz, and which has stirred unprecedented unrest in the party. Likud and Shinui negotiating teams met yesterday in Ramat Gan following Shinui’s demand for clarifications on the coalition deal being formulated with UTJ. After the meeting Poraz said that the gaps between Shinui and UTJ were large. „We are not suckers, and won’t agree to UTJ’s conditions,” he said. The Likud negotiating team made clear that UTJ demands maintaining the status quo on issues concerning state and religion. Poraz in return stated that his party demands carrying out the coalition agreement signed between Shinui, Likud and the National Religious Party, which calls for a civil marriage law and amending the Tal Law concerning army service. The Shinui team was told that the coalition deal with Labor is „almost finished.” The „rebels” at the Shinui conference are taking a more aggressive stance against joining a coalition with the ultra-Orthodox parties. They intend to force a vote on the subject, a situation which Lapid and Poraz are attempting to avoid. Lapid and Poraz are facing their first political power test within their party’s conference, which until now has accepted their leadership. The two are holding meetings and talking on the phone with central party activists, trying to convince them to back down from the vote. BPI-info
