Unity Government in Israel Disbanding Over Dispute on Draft

[Meg]

This isn't as bad as it sounds. Robert just said he and Adrian understand these things, and Robert said he'll explain what this is all about when he gets back to his computer.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/18/wo...-on-draft.html

JERUSALEM — The national unity government formed in Israel two months ago unraveled Tuesday when the head of the centrist Kadima Party, Shaul Mofaz, announced he was withdrawing because of intractable differences with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over a proposed universal draft law.

Kadima operative confirmed the breakup Tuesday afternoon, saying in an e-mail message, “Yes, he’s pulling out.” Yoel Hasson, a Kadima Parliament member, said 25 members voted in favor of leaving the coalition, and three opposed the move.

Ynet.com, an Israeli news site, quoted Mr. Mofaz as telling Kadima Party Parliament members in a closed-door session: “It is with deep regret that I say that there is no choice but to decide to leave the government.” Earlier on Tuesday, Kadima released a statement announcing that "negotiations between Kadima and the Likud over the equal distribution of the burden have failed."

The broad coalition, which had given Mr. Netanyahu a supermajority of 94 of the Parliament’s 120 members and led Time Magazine to dub him “King of Israel,” has been in turmoil for weeks over the issue of how to draft more ultra-Orthodox Jews as well as Arab citizens into either the military or civilian service.

[chrisb01]

I'll wait and see what Robert says; it sounds kind of serious to me. Though, I think PM Netanyahu should still have the majority, 'I Think'.

Not that good at thinking... :-)

[Sean Osborne]

Sad to see this happen because of the great benefits a unity government presents during war. Partisan politics stinks just as bad in Israel as it does here, but Shaul Mofaz really over-played his cards on the Tal Law ruling.

However, this is not really a big problem. The Likud maintains a 65-member majority and Kadima is now running the risk of disolving into oblivion. Many former Kadima members might then well re-join Likud from whence they originally came giving Likud an even larger majority in the government.

[Robert]

I'll wait and see what Robert says; it sounds kind of serious to me. Though, I think PM Netanyahu should still have the majority, 'I Think'.

Not that good at thinking... :-)

While it is serious, it doesn't mean Israel will be without a government. In parliamentary politics, it isn't uncommon for the government to "dissolve" and then reform.

[ronen]

bibi has presented a pragmatic course of action, or at least the desire for a pragmatic course of action on the matter of orthodox and arab community draft. but in israel pragmatic solutions, which are meant to be enforced during a protracted time, are usually buried under the heavy rug of political and other interests. and so many people will not heed the call of the PM and support liberman and the left in their demand of equal terms for all, now.
i too would vote for liberman if elections would be at this point. sadly though, some people will move completely to leftwing parties over this issue..

i dont think the government is being serious about iran
it would not have tackled such a mammoth issue had it been expecting war
i think once the western world took seriously the iranian threat, our government just took the passanger seat

[anath]

So Bibi took a stand for the ultra orthodox....well then, that's good

[ronen]

So Bibi took a stand for the ultra orthodox....well then, that's good

let me clarify something
i too am for a gradual solution
but there are a couple of problems
first of all bibi offered to allow them to enlist only at 26
why is that even a concession, right? i mean who would want to enlist at 26..
well the answer is that this is something they want very much
by 26 they will have about 5 kids
and then each of them no matter how minor his position will be in the army, will receive several thousands in his paycheck, as opposed to a regular soldier that receives between 350 and 700 each month
(its in shekels.. one shekel = one american quarter and to give you a more in depth idea of how much that is: to buy a pack of cigaretes each day, you would need about 600 for month )

most of them will have to be forced to enlist and will go to minor jobs which wont contribute much
and are in no way worth this kind of money
apart from that, the element of equality will be very undermined

there is more to it but these are truly internal matters which you are probably not interested in

all im trying to say is that bibi not just stood with the orthodox but he stood with them on everybody else's dime
and thats unacceptable

[anath]

thanks Ronen