Subscribe to Print Edition | Fri., January 18, 2008 Shvat 11, 5768 | | Israel Time: 02:19 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

All in favor / Shas chair: I'll fulfill Lieberman's doctrine By Shahar Ilan Shas Knesset faction chairman MK Yakov Margi argued passionately yesterday that he would be the one to fulfill the doctrine of Strategic Affairs Minister Avigdor Lieberman, who has announced his resignation from the government. Lieberman had led an initiative to increase the stability of the system of government, "but it turns out that I am more sensitive than he is to government stability," Margi said. Advertisement The coalition was already feeling the effects of its reduction from 78 to 67 MKs, with votes on three bills proposed in the plenum yesterday ending in ties. In two cases, a 25-25 vote shot down bills proposed by the opposition that would have prohibited cellular companies from giving employers information about employees' cell phone calls. A third tie was over a bill proposed by the coalition's MK Ronit Tirosh (Kadima) to extend the maximum jail term that can be exchanged for community service from six months to a year. Next week, MK Yisrael Katz (Likud) is reportedly planning to challenge the coalition by presenting a bill to annex Ma'aleh Adumim, Givat Ze'ev, Mevasseret Tzion, Beitar Illit and Gush Etzion to Jerusalem. "Shas says it is remaining in the coalition to protect Jerusalem," Katz said, adding, "It will have to support the bill." Everyone in the Knesset is waiting to see how Prime Minister Ehud Olmert survives the conclusions of the Winograd report, scheduled to be released at the end of the month. Former coalition chair Avigdor Itzchaky (Kadima) has said that if he cannot make Olmert resign, he will do so himself. But if Olmert continues to prevail, Likud faction head MK Gideon Sa'ar says he expects a daily war of attrition between the opposition and the coalition. After Yisrael Beiteinu entered the coalition, it enjoyed a huge majority. No-confidence votes became an uninteresting ritual, and life for the coalition leaders became fairly easy. Coalition breakdowns will now be much more frequent. This is because its 67 votes are on paper only. In reality, some 10 lawmakers are on the inside, looking out. This makes the 12 disciplined Shas foot-soldiers even more important. Shas, according to a source close to its spiritual mentor Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, is more pleased than ever with this coalition, and does not want to see it fall. "We are immune to pressure from the right," the source said. Bookmark to del.icio.us   West Bank shooting Kiryat Sefer man, 40, sustains light to moderate wounds when terrorists open fire from passing car. Fighting words Barak vows to expand IDF operations against Qassam fire.

Today Online IAF strikes kill seven in Gaza; 40 Qassams fired at Israel Responses: 291 Israel Harel: No point in talks if Arabs won't accept Jewish Israel Responses: 128 Barak vows to expand IDF operations against Qassam fire Responses: 121 Na'ama Sheffi: New talkback law does not hinder public dialogue Responses: 64 Amy Winehouse mulls album of 'cool' Hanukkah hits Responses: 47 More Headlines 23:29 IAF strikes kill seven in Gaza; 40 Qassams fired at Israel 20:16 Israeli civilian wounded in West Bank shooting attack 21:30 Berlin Mayor, Jewish Council slam attack on Jewish teens 23:06 Barak vows to expand IDF operations against Qassam fire 20:37 Former Nazi guard loses Canadian deportation appeal 22:33 Canadian FM puts Israel, U.S. on torture watch list 22:10 Ahmadinejad: 'The Zionist regime' would not dare attack Iran 16:54 Hamas: Shalit in good condition, not in danger of being harmed 17:39 City in Czech Republic bans neo-Nazi march slated for weekend 18:42 Security forces thwart Jihad plan to bomb T.A.-Jerusalem railroad Previous Editions Select Day 17 jan 16 jan 15 jan 14 jan 13 jan 11 jan 10 jan 09 jan 08 jan 07 jan 06 jan 04 jan

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