scenario for American
Jewry. A Shamir-led narrow
coalition, which would in
any case be difficult to sup-
port on political grounds,
would further alienate
American Jews by caving in
on "Who Is a Jew."
Given the likelihood that
one of the above scenarios
will start unfolding soon, the
weeks and months ahead are
likely to put great strains on
the relations between
American Jews and
Israel. ❑
Israel's Electoral
Options: A Guide
ARTHUR J. MAGIDA
Special to The Jewish News
I
srael's parliamentary
system lets various par-
ties cobble together blocs,
coalitions and alliances that
can govern the country if no
) one party achieves a
majority of seats in the
Knesset. (Heading toward
the March 15 vote, no party
had ever won such a
majority — or 61 seats — in
the 120-seat parliament).
In the previous two Israeli
elections, Labor, which leans
Among the many
available options:
Labor or Likud
could patch
together a
coalition to get
the 61 needed
votes in the
Knesset.
to the left, and Likud, which
leans to the right, formed
two successive — and con-
stantly bickering —
"national unity govern-
ments."
Prime Minister Yitzhak
Shamir's firing of Vice
Premier Shimon Peres on
Tuesday plunged the coun-
try into a political limbo.
The government is left
with Likud, with 40 Knesset
seats, and two religious par-
ties, Masdal and Shas, with
a total of 11 seats. Obvious-
ly, neither Likud nor Labor,
which has 39 seats, could
command by themselves the
majority in the 120-member
Knesset that would have
assured they run the coun-
try.
Parties that also have
Arthur J. Magida is an
assistant editor for our sister
paper, the Baltimore Jewish
Times.
Knesset seats are: Agudat
Israel (5) and Degal Hatorah
(2); a bloc of three right-wing
parties — Tehiya, Tzomet
and Moledat — that controls
seven seats; a bloc of three
moderate leftist parties —
Mapam, Shinui and Ratz —
that controls ten seats; and a
bloc of three more radical
left-wing parties —
Mitkedemet, Communist
and Darawashe — that con-
trols six seats.
Among the many options
that emerged after the ter-
mination of the unity
government were:
• Labor or Likud could
patch together a coalition
that would yield a 61-vote
majority in the Knesset.
This clear mandate would
end the current crisis.
• Since influential mem-
bers of Likud have been fum-
ing recently over Shamir's
handling of the peace pro-
cess, they could vote against
the current Likud govern-
ment as a protest against the
prime minister.
• If these defections from
Likud's ranks (combined
with the anti-Likud
predilections of Labor and
its allies) produce a
definitive vote of no-
confidence, then Israel's
president, Chaim Herzog,
would consult with both par-
ties to determine which has
the best chance of piecing
together a coalition govern-
ment. Twenty-one days
would be alloted for this
task. If no progress is made
in this period, it could be ex-
tended for another 21 days.
If no government is produced
at the end of these six weeks,
Herzog can give another
party a total of six weeks to
create a government.
• If no government is cre-
ated after 12 weeks, the
Knesset can declare that
new elections are needed.
The exact date of elections
will be determined by the
Interior Minister. In the
past, balloting is usually
slated three to six months
after the Knesset vote. ❑
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