Coalition gains landslide victory in Knesset no-confidence votes
Labor allows members to abstain, not attend 3 no-confidence votes; Labor MK Melchior: We can't express confidence in gov't in light of Winograd findings.
By Shahar IlanDespite the Labor Party's decision to allow its members the freedom not to attend, the coalition won a landslide victory in three no-confidence votes held in the Knesset Monday.
Between 60-62 MKs votes against the no-confidence proposals and only 26-28 voted in favor. Nine MKs consistently abstained.
Chairman of the opposition MK Benjamin Netanyahu said at the discussion prior to the vote "you've failed, take responsibility, go to the people," referring to the current government, whose conduct during the Second Lebanon War was harshly criticized in a recently publicized partial report of the Winograd war inquiry findings.
Interior Minister Roni Bar-On said the war had not been a devastating failure.
The Labor party decided in a 10-8 vote to allow its members to abstain, or refrain from attending the no-confidence vote. All the Labor ministers voted against expressing no confidence in the government, and all the Labor MKs voted for the option of abstention.
Among the abstention supporters were several MKs who had not been involved in the dispute until now, such as Michael Melchior and Orit Noked. MK Melchior said that "from a moral and principled standpoint, we can't express confidence in the government in regard to Winograd. The government set up an inquiry commission, the commission told the government it had failed in a decisive manner."
In light of the party's decision to allow abstention, Labor leadership candidate Ami Ayalon announced that he would not attend the vote. "The decision represents a red card for Olmert, who doesn't have the trust of the public and thus can't lead a process of repairing the failures," he said.
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Prime Minister Ehud Olmert checking his voting device during a non-confidence vote at the Knesset in Jerusalem on Monday. (AP) |
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It doesn't matter what government you have as long as the Palestinians continue the same policies. Only when the Arabs become serious about peace, it'll be achieved. If you haven't learned this lesson after evacuating Gaza, then you'll never learn.
May the Good Lord have Mercy on Israel & the long-suffering Jewish people who don't deserve to be ruled by a bunch of corrupt & incompetent midgets. What a shame! The nation that has given the world so many illustrious individuals is led by a political nonentiry & a failed union boss.... What a crying shame!
you deserve no sympathy by allowing this criminal incompetent gang to run your country.Is thre no one left with any testosterone to oust this gang ? Now that you have become a banana republic, it is OK to have a military coup to restore some sanity in your moronic, egocentric, psychopathic government !!!
This is what the public voted for - you asked for it, you got it. Try thinking outside the box next time you're at the ballot - and GO for it with the Green Leaf Party - Kuf Nun!
Just as Bush and Corrupt Company will be gone in January '09, so will Olmert and Corrupt Company be gone at about that same time.
That getting rid of Olmert and the bunch of fools and scoundrels that make up this horrid coalition will just lead to the installation of another Right-Wing coalition that will subvert any chance of peace. Clearly, Olmert and Co. need to go, but by itself that accomplishes little. we need a government that is REALLY serious about peace.
but the chickens will come home to roost. And every last one responsible will have the glue holding them to their Knesset seats forcibly removed from their derrier's.
According to the story, the coalition survived by 60-62 votes out of 120 members. They were supported by 50 or 51% of the Knesset. Where I come from this is not a landslide.
That a no-confidence would result in new elections, which would most likely bring the leader of the opposition into power... (Bibi.. for those not paying attention) and for that reason, and that reason only I support their majority vote! Otherwise - I HAVE NO CONFIDENCE IN THE CURRENT LEADERSHIP!
Was this a vote of belief or...oh if we have elections I wont have a JOB !!!!!
The support of the Knesset for the coalition does not mean support for Olmert ot Peretz. The MKs just don't want new elections, not just now. The best course of action would be for Peretz and Olmert to resign, the sooner the better. Peres undertakes temporary premiership. Even though he never won an election and is not liked by the population, he is a brilliant statesman and understands Istael's defense needs better than the young newcomers, having been involved in it since he served as deputy Minister of Defense under Ben Gurion. Peres would then appoint Ayalon as the defense minister (keep away from the ego centered Barak) and the country can function till the next elections. With the support of Meretz it could even enter peace talks with Syria and, first and foemost, pacify the Gaza strip by agreement or by force. There is no other scenario that offers a better alternative.
They know Israel can't progress without new leadership, but Israel's MKs care more for their personal interests.
As the old saying goes, israeli politics is sort of like the making of sausage- the result may be palatable, but the process is disgusting.
Shame! Have they no shame whatsoever? This is not democracy but bunch of self-promoting corrupt criminals, protecting their interests, not the interest of those whom they are supposed to represent. It is a Mafia.