Analysis sarah and harry Laker memorial scholar in residence weekend frida y Tough Victory 11.12.04 Sharon wins a vote in the Knesset, but may end up losing his government. LESLIE SUSSER Jewish Telegraphic Agency simply are looking for a way to delay the disengagement plan indefinitely and accused them of planning a putsch against him. Things came to a head in the last hour before the vote. The National Religious Party, which is part of Sharon's- govern- ment but which opposes disengagement, served the prime minister with an ulti- matum: Hold a referendum or else. NRP Cabinet Minister Zevulun Orlev said the party had received rabbinical approval to remain in Sharon's coalition until the end of its term in November 2006, even if the referendum goes against them. But if Sharon refuses to hold a referendum, Orlev warned, the party will leave the coalition within two weeks. Then, immediately after the vote, Netanyahu dropped his bombshell: Unless Sharon agrees within 14 days to hold a referendum, he, Livnat, Katz and Naveh will leave the coalition as well. What that means is that if Sharon doesn't buckle — and so far there are no signs that he will — the Likud will split in two, with Netanyahu and Sharon on opposing sides. Sharon finds himself left with three possible choices: Build a new coalition or parliamentary pact with Labor and the left; agree to hold a referendum; or push for early elections. None of the choices is easy. • To get a majority coalition with Labor and the left, Sharon would need the support of at least 17 of Likud's 40 legislators — and it's not clear he can count on that many. • Agreeing to hold a referendum would be a monumental reversal and would leave Sharon severely weakened. • And early elections would be a major gamble that he well might lose. Sharon is unlikely to agree to the refer- endum demand. His most likely game plan will be to try to formalize the support of Labor and the left and keep going as prime minister as long as he can, betting that his opponents in the Likud and parties further to the right won't force elections because they, too, fear losing their Knesset seats. In case it does come to an election ation shaarey zedek southfield Cm 'PIC? n ay Night ight Fever Kabbalat Shabbat Service followed by a deluxe family Shabbat dinner.* l arniVj to Your Children About God" with Rabbi Wolpe. - Jerusalem_ uesday, Oct. 26, may well go down as one of the more impor- tant, and bizarre, dates in the annals of Israeli politics. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon won a resounding victory in the Knesset for his plan to withdraw from the Gaza Strip and part of the West Bank, but the vote ended with his Likud Party in tatters and on the verge of splitting in two, with Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu leading the rebels. The upshot is that although Sharon secured Knesset approval for his plan, which includes the dismantling of 21 Jewish settlements in Gaza and four in the northern West Bank, it's not at all clear whether he will have the political clout to see it through. Backed by the opposition Labor and Yahad parties and opposed by almost half of the Knesset faction of his own Likud Party, Sharon mustered 67 votes for his disengagement plan, with 45 against and 7 abstentions. The vote does not authorize the actual removal of any settlements. The with- drawal is to be carried -out in stages beginning next year, with Cabinet approval necessary before each move. Still, Sharon had hoped that such a clear margin of victory in the Knesset would squelch demands for a national referen- dum on the withdrawal and open up new coalition-building possibilities. _ But Netanyahu's move against Sharon means that his government could soon fall; and instead of moving ahead smoothly toward disengagement, Israel could find itself caught up in a stormy election. For four hours before the Oct. 26 vote, Netanyahu and three other leading Likud ministers — Limor Livnat, Yisrael Katz and Danny Naveh — closeted themselves in a Jerusalem hotel, working on a proposal to condition their support for the Oct. 26 vote on a commitment by Sharon to hold a national referendum on disengagement. Sharon rejected the demand out of hand, even refusing to meet the four ministers before the vote. He argues that referendum advocates . *$15.00 for adults, $5.00 for children. Reservations are required. Baby-sitting is available during Rabbi Wolpe's presentation. saturday 11.13.04 4E0 • 4 5 .AM Saturday morning Shabbat e rv ices. Rabbi Wolpe will deliver the sermon followed by a complimentary congregational lunch sponsored by the Laker family. Rabbi Wolpe presents "Making Ldsitaltigli Baby-sitting is available during Rabbi Wolpe's discussion. about rabbi wolpe We are pleased to welcome world-renowned author and orator Rabbi David Wolpe of Temple Sinai in Los Angeles for a weekend of inspirational learning and spiritual growth. Rabbi Wolpe is the author of several books including Making Loss Matter: Creating Meaning hi Difficult Times; Teaching Your Children About God: A Modern Jewish Approach; Why Be Jewish? and his new book Floating Takes Faith: Ancient Wisdom for a Modern World. rsv Please contact the synagogue office at 248/357-5544 to make your reservations for Friday night dinner. If you have any questions, please contact Tobye Bello,- Program Director at 248/357-5544. . TOUGH VICTORY .on page 22 -MEM, I:SHAAREYZEDExl Congregation Shaarey Zedek 27375 Bell Road Southfield, MI 48034 10/29 2004 903080 21