- The Media Line - https://themedialine.org -

Israeli Parliament Votes Against Referendum

Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, rejected a bill on Monday that would have mandated a national referendum regarding plans to withdraw unilaterally from the Gaza Strip and from four other post-1967 communities in the Samaria region of the West Bank.

Israeli Prime Minster Ariel Sharon is vehemently opposed to holding a plebiscite.

The bill was defeated with 72 members of Knesset voting against, while 39 voted in favor and 3 abstained.

Analysts at The Media Line point out that the bill is, in effect, a vote for or against the plan to evacuate Gaza.

Most politicians see the referendum as a means of slowing down and even completely sidetracking plans for the Gaza pullout.

The Labor Party, the primary opponent of the ruling Likud party presently sitting in a joint coalition, said it would leave the government were the measure to pass.

After disposing of the referendum threat, Sharon’s remaining obstacle is passage of the 2005 state budget. Failure to do so by the end of the month would trigger new elections and, according to many, have a chilling effect on the withdrawal plan.

The budget is expected to pass when it comes up for a vote on Tuesday and Wednesday.