Prime Minister Ehud Barak lost a no-confidence vote but under
current rules the government did not fall because there was
not an absolute majority of 61. The Knesset vote of 54 to 52
with seven abstentions allows the government to continue. The
five members of UTJ did not participate in the vote.
Prime Minister Barak left for Camp David without a majority
in the Knesset and with the future of his administration in
the balance. With has familiar arrogance, he commented. "It
was childish behavior that we saw today," a relieved but
obviously annoyed Barak said after the vote. "The government
did not fall, and I am continuing onward to Camp David."
Despite his not having the support of the Knesset, Barak
claimed that he is empowered directly by a majority of the
people who want a chance to attain peace. "I am not going
alone, I am taking two million voters with me," Barak said,
in an address that was also a campaign speech. "The moment of
truth is upon us. Just a year ago the public gave us a
mandate to lead, not to protect what exists, but to change
the reality to its core and to assure the future of
Israel."
The prime minister was constantly heckled by right-wing
opponents as he addressed the plenum during a debate on two
no-confidence motions brought by parties aimed at toppling
him.
Barak repeated pledges he has made before: that he would not
agree to Israel's withdrawing to pre-June 1967 borders, that
a united Jerusalem would remain under Israeli sovereignty,
and that Israel would "not take moral or legal
responsibility" for Palestinian refugees who wish to return
home. He also pledged that there would be no foreign army
west of the Jordan River and that a large majority of
settlers in Judea and Samaria would remain in blocs under
Israeli sovereignty.
Supporting Barak in the vote were MKs from One Israel,
Meretz, the Center Party, the Democratic Choice, nine of ten
MKs from the Arab parties, and one of two Am Echad MKs, Amir
Peretz of the Histadrut.
Voting no confidence were the Likud, Shas, the National
Religious Party, Yisrael Ba'aliya, National Union-Yisrael
Beiteinu, Herut, and Am Echad MK Chaim Katz.
Shinui's six MKs abstained and MK Azmi Bishara (Balad) also
abstained to protest what he called Barak's "nos" for an
agreement with the Palestinians.
Likud leader Ariel Sharon charged that Barak said when he was
first elected that he wanted to be "everyone's prime
minister" but instead within only a year he has become almost
"nobody's prime minister."
Barak is leading a "dangerous, irreversible process of
handing over almost all of Israel's assets for free, and
without concluding the conflict with the Arab world," Sharon
added.
In America, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright warned that
a failure to make hard decisions at the Camp David summit
could lead to an eruption of violence in the region.
The summit, which is expected to last eight days, seeks to
bridge wide gaps between the two sides, which have set a
September 13 deadline for a final peace accord settling
issues including the future of Jerusalem, the status and
borders of Palestinian areas, and the treatment of
Palestinian refugees.
On Monday two sets of negotiators held preparatory talks in
Washington. Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat met with
Israeli negotiator Oded Eran on interim issues including the
third redeployment, and final-status negotiators Ahmed Qurie
and Shlomo Ben-Ami held separate discussions in the
evening.
A senior US official commented, "Barak's coalition problems
at home weaken him and this worries us. However, we are
hopeful that progress can be made and believe reaching an
agreement is possible."
Reacting to Barak's fragile coalition situation at home,
Clinton told reporters at the White House yesterday that
Israeli polls show Barak has a "solid majority" of support
for his peace moves and that the Israeli people will
ultimately decide whether to embrace a peace deal with the
Palestinians. Israeli observers noted that a majority does
support Barak in the latest poll, but it has fallen sharply
in the past month. At the beginning of June, almost 70
percent of those queried favored the summit, but on the eve
of Barak's departure it was only 55 percent.
In a poll published Sunday by the Yediot Acharonot
daily, 52 percent of Israelis said Barak should go to the
summit, while 45 percent said he should stay home.
US officials are keeping silent on potential bridging
proposals that could help close the gaps on the contentious
issues of Jerusalem, refugees, and borders. But officials as
high as Clinton have acknowledged that the US will be
expected to foot a large part of any bill that will accompany
a deal.
Clinton has said he wants to produce an agreement that
addresses all of the core issues. But he has also suggested
something much less: that the sides will be beginning to draw
the "contours" of an agreement. Barak has said very little
about what he wants from the Palestinians, and has only
declared certain concessions that he will not make. The
Palestinians have announced that they are not interested in
another declaration of principles that does not solve
anything. They say that general principles were already
agreed to six years ago in Oslo.
Settlers from the Golan Heights, the Jordan Valley, Judea,
Samaria, and Gaza started a hunger strike outside the Prime
Minister's Office in Jerusalem under the slogan, "Barak is
losing the country." A mass prayer vigil was to be held at
the Kosel on Tuesday evening.
The pro-government camp, however, also planned to mobilize
under the slogans, "Go in Peace and Return with Peace," and
"The Majority Wants Peace," at a rally at Jerusalem's France
Square.
Left wing activists plan several activities in the coming
days, including a vigil at Kikar Rabin in Tel Aviv under the
slogan, "We Continue on Rabin's Path," and holding vigils
along highways.
Mass rallies are also to be held by both sides at Kikar
Rabin: the Left on Saturday night and the Right on Sunday
evening.
