The Israeli government survived Monday 6 no-confidence motion; the one presented by One Nation Party on policies that harms local religious council employees was a neck to neck vote; 56 supported and 56 opposed.
As the Knesset law requires a 61 majority topple governments, Sharon’s government survived, but opposition registered a symbolic victory.
Encouraged by the voting results, opposition leaders believe that the cabinet is nearing its last days and early elections are becoming inevitable.
One Nation chairman MK Amir Peretz called on the Labor Party and the Knesset to prepare for early elections.
‘ Sharon’s government has come to an end and that it cannot continue to govern the country without a Knesset majority.’ He said.
Peretz expressed hopes that in the upcoming vote over the future of local and religious authorities he would be able to gain the support of NRP MK Yitzhak Levy, calling Labor party to not negotiate over a unity government.
A Labor MK commented on the results of the vote, saying ‘ Everyone saw the wall was starting to crack and that this awful government won’t live out its days,’ (according to Haaretz)
Likud MK Reuven Rivlin called the results of the voting a ‘red light’, saying that ‘from now on any MK can put a price on his vote for the government.’
‘There are two options: Either the coalition reaches stability, or the MKs will begin to question the government’s ability to act,’ he added.
