Prime Minister Barak continued to project his usual
confidence that everything would be worked out, but the basis
for this feeling was not evident with regard to the one-year-
old government's deep coalition crisis. The ideological rifts
that caused the discontent of NRP and Yisrael Ba'aliya have
not been closed, and the financial troubles of Shas have not
been solved.
Barak has not displayed strong leadership in solving the
problems that plague his shaky government. Unresolved
problems have persisted for months, leading to discontent and
bickering, and leaving Barak with an extremely weak
government. Also, Barak has run foreign policy on his own,
not keeping even senior government ministers informed,
exacerbating the tensions and heightening frustration.
A serious problem exists in the hostility that characterizes
the relationship between Meretz and Shas over the financial
difficulties of the educational network of Shas. The
difficulties of the Shas El Hamaayan schools, which amount to
NIS 25-50 million, have not been solved even though Shas is
the second largest member of the government and the sum is
not that large in the context of the multi-billion shekel
education budget. The Education Ministry is controlled by
Meretz.
The ideological gap between Shas and Meretz and the rest of
the Leftist government over issues such as Shabbos and Jewish
identity have not proven as difficult a problem. UTJ,
originally an ambivalent member of the government, broke away
very early over government-supported chilul Shabbos.
Shas, however, contented itself with criticism of these moves
and remained a part of the government.
Though the main issue with Shas is money, the issue with NRP
and Yisrael Ba'aliya is the peace policy of the government,
and specifically the decision to give full control of the
Jerusalem suburbs to the Palestinian Authority. Both parties
find this difficult, especially in view of the fact that
Israel is doing it merely as a "goodwill" gesture without
getting anything in return, and have announced that they will
leave the government if this handover is consummated. So far
it has been on hold after the Palestinian rioting.
Barak's only alternatives, if he loses Shas, NRP and Yisrael
Ba'aliya, are to bring in the virulently anti-religious
Shinui party which will give the government 52 votes. It will
control the Knesset with the cooperation of Arab votes who
will support the government from the outside. Under the best
of circumstances this is an unpleasant arrangement, and it
will hardly give Barak a firm base from which to make
significant concessions for peace.
