Sharon's government in Israel crumbling

[Miramonti]

ap story

``We did everything possible to preserve the government, but to my great regret there were those who believed that this was the time to break up the government,'' said Finance Minister Silvan Shalom of Sharon's Likud Party. <IMT-02>

Labor legislator Haim Ramon, who is challenging Ben-Eliezer for party leadership in Nov. 17 primaries, praised the decision. ``I'm happy that we will not be partners in a government that is a failure in all aspects of life,'' Ramon said. ``We need to leave the government and present an alternative.''

With the apparent breakup of the coalition, Israel appeared headed for early elections, possibly within 90 days. The scheduled vote is in November 2003.

Sharon can continue governing with a narrow coalition that rests on small far-right factions, but such a constellation is highly unstable.

Wow, looks like Arafat is going to outlast Sharon.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: jjsole

Wow, looks like Arafat is going to outlast Sharon.

Arafat has outlasted everybody except Castro. I guess that puts him in good company, huh?

 

[Miramonti]

I wouldn't exactly put either of them in very good company.

 

[syzygy]

now if the palestinian authority can reign in their rogue groups over the next 90 days, the isreali
electorate may prove open-hearted enough to vote in another dovish labor pm.

there has been heretofore unheard of palestinian questioning of the efficacy and morality of
the terrorist campaign, and there even appears to have been genuine interest in some of these
terrorist groups to abide by a general cease fire; all this while sharon was at the height of his
approval ratings and waging his anti-terror campaign.

if arafat continues to be marginalized, and the pariamentiary reforms continue, palestinians
will be donning a more international ( and more u.s. favorable) appeal for their cause.

 

[Miramonti]

Originally posted by: syzygy
if arafat continues to be marginalized, and the pariamentiary reforms continue, palestinians will be donning a more international ( and more u.s. favorable) appeal for their cause.

I don't think he's going anywhere soon...story

The Palestinian parliament has approved Yasser Arafat's new 19-member cabinet in a strong show of support for the Palestinian leader. The cabinet was approved by a vote of 56 to 18.

Thats like a slap in the face to the Bush administrations pressure to sideline him.