Sharon still alright after losing majority

JERUSALEM – Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s government is in no danger of being toppled despite losing his parliamentary majority with the resignation of two ministers, the head of his party’s Knesset faction said Wednesday.

“The coalition can rely on the support of no more than 59 deputies but the the opposition is not in a position to mobilise 61 to bring down the government,” the Likud party’s parliamentary leader, Gideon Saar, told army radio. Sharon’s teetering coalition suffered a new blow on Tuesday when the National Religious Party’s (NRP) leader Effi Eitam quit the cabinet, where he had served as housing minister, in protest at Sharon’s plan to withdraw from the Gaza Strip.His party colleague and junior minister Yitzhak Levy also quit the government, although another NRP deputy, Zevulun Orlev, decided to remain in cabinet as social affairs minister.Even before Tuesday’s resignations, Sharon’s majority was down to a bare minimum after another pro-settlement party, the National Union, was kicked out of government by Sharon.The parliamentary arithmetic is further complicated as many Likud deputies’ loyalty has been stretched to the limit by Sharon’s decision to push ahead with the evacuation of all 21 Jewish settlements in Gaza and four in the West Bank even though party members rejected his plan in a referendum last month.But the left-wing opposition Labour party — tipped by many to enter a coalition government — appears in no rush to rock the boat by making common cause with the hard-right.Party leader Shimon Peres again told public radio Wednesday that he was prepared to act as a “safety net” for Sharon’s government.Labour withdrew its no confidence motion on Monday and abstained in two other censure motions, the day after the cabinet approved Sharon’s plan.”You cannot fail to be happy that Likud has renounced its deceptive dream of creating a Greater Israel, accepted the idea of dismantling settlements and the creation of a Palestinian state,” Peres said.- Nampa-AFPSharon’s teetering coalition suffered a new blow on Tuesday when the National Religious Party’s (NRP) leader Effi Eitam quit the cabinet, where he had served as housing minister, in protest at Sharon’s plan to withdraw from the Gaza Strip.His party colleague and junior minister Yitzhak Levy also quit the government, although another NRP deputy, Zevulun Orlev, decided to remain in cabinet as social affairs minister.Even before Tuesday’s resignations, Sharon’s majority was down to a bare minimum after another pro-settlement party, the National Union, was kicked out of government by Sharon.The parliamentary arithmetic is further complicated as many Likud deputies’ loyalty has been stretched to the limit by Sharon’s decision to push ahead with the evacuation of all 21 Jewish settlements in Gaza and four in the West Bank even though party members rejected his plan in a referendum last month.But the left-wing opposition Labour party — tipped by many to enter a coalition government — appears in no rush to rock the boat by making common cause with the hard-right.Party leader Shimon Peres again told public radio Wednesday that he was prepared to act as a “safety net” for Sharon’s government.Labour withdrew its no confidence motion on Monday and abstained in two other censure motions, the day after the cabinet approved Sharon’s plan.”You cannot fail to be happy that Likud has renounced its deceptive dream of creating a Greater Israel, accepted the idea of dismantling settlements and the creation of a Palestinian state,” Peres said.- Nampa-AFP