Analysis / Netanyahu in charge

[Gimel]

In the high noon hours yesterday, as the political knot around the prime minister's disengagement plan became ever more entangled, and pressures mounted to shrink, empty and emasculate the original plan, one of Sharon's advisers protested how much more can he be humiliated? How much can he be demanded to capitulate? How much!?

Apparently there is no limit. Last night, after Sharon realized he was having a hard time getting a majority in his government even for the diluted version of his plan - three settlements and a statement the government recognizes the overall revised disengagement plan - the Prime Minister's Bureau announced that the plan would not be distributed in the meantime.

Perhaps Sharon will use the break to send Uri Shani to see what's going on in the Labor Party, to find what would be the minimal plan under which it would agree to join the government. Sharon's campaign to convince his ministers failed yesterday. Sharon asked, explained, pleaded - but the ministers said a flat no.

Last night it seemed Sharon had blundered into a dead end. The political strategist who always knew how to overpower prime ministers under whom he served, was caving in to pressures from ministers in his own party, headed by Benjamin Netanyahu.

Continue...

And the other view:

The end of Sharon

[KissMyAsscroft]

1. Netanyahu is a scary dude...

I saw some special on Frontline and he was getting impeached or something, I forgot what...all the Israeli lawmakers were ganging up on him and he had the psycho look on his face...you had to see it, really.

[Gimel]

2. Last time

When Netenyahu held the office of PM, he quickly lost the confidence of the people. Unfortunately, it looks as though his star is due to rise again.

It's regretful that Sharon didn't get the support he needed to pull the disengagement through and finally a withdrawal from Gaza and the West Bank, something that has been proposed for over 10 years. It is not that I am a personal fan of Mr. Sharon, but I have recognized, and stated here, that he was most likely to succeed in pulling the extremes in Israeli politics together to produce movement on the Road Map, or the Peace Process itself, whatever the current name it is given.

Neither the left or the right gave him the support. Barring a last minute stroke of luck, his efforts seemed doomed. That is very disheartening, and a major reason for apathy with regards to the political system. It just never gets anywhere.

[Scurrilous]

3. Sharon mulls sacking Netanyahu

http://www.maarivenglish.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=article&articleID=7926

<snip>

Sources: Finance minister undermining PM, coordinating moves and inciting ministers. PM may dismiss him if he votes against plan. Sharon announces full version of plan to be voted on by cabinet this Sunday.

"Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is considering firing Finance Minsiter Benjamin Netanyahu, if the latter votes against the full version of the disengagement plan, which will be brought before the cabinet for a vote at its upcoming meeting on Sunday, sources as the Prime Minister Bureau said on Friday.

The sources added, “Netanyahu has been undermining the prime minister for a while now. In the past several days he is leading the battle, is coordinating moves and inciting ministers against Sharon. In this state of affairs, it is definitely possible he would be forced to dismiss the finance minister if he votes against the plan, the same one that Netanyahu supported only several weeks ago”.


<snip>

"If Sharon losses the vote on Sunday, the prime minister plans to dismiss Netanyahu as well as threaten others with a similar fate. After a week or two, he would try to pass the plan again, and if right wing factions quit as a result, he plans to bring in the Labor party."

[Gimel]

4. Good find

It's also on Hebrew language news reports now.

[The Magistrate]

5. In The Circumstance, Ma'am

So you expect a no confidence vote, and new elections, likely to occur?

My own hope, of course, would be for a coalition of Labor and Shinui coming to power.

[Gimel]

6. Maneuvering

Sharon will try to maneuver the cabinet, possibly fire Netanyahu, although it is unlikely that he can remove him very far, as he is no. 2 on the Likud list.

If he dissolved the government to form a new coalition, possibly bringing in Labor, that would be one option. He may bring the vote to the general public as a referendum. I don't think it's been done before, but calling new elections seems too extravagant at this point, as there were elections only 15 months ago.