Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05TELAVIV1634
2005-03-18 14:53:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tel Aviv
Cable title:  

IN SHINUI, DISSENSION PERCOLATES OVER BUDGET

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C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 001634 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/18/2015
TAGS: PGOV ECON IS GOI INTERNAL ECONOMY AND FINANCE GAZA DISENGAGEMENT
SUBJECT: IN SHINUI, DISSENSION PERCOLATES OVER BUDGET


Classified By: Political Counselor Norman Olsen for reasons 1.4 (b,d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 001634

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/18/2015
TAGS: PGOV ECON IS GOI INTERNAL ECONOMY AND FINANCE GAZA DISENGAGEMENT
SUBJECT: IN SHINUI, DISSENSION PERCOLATES OVER BUDGET


Classified By: Political Counselor Norman Olsen for reasons 1.4 (b,d).


1. (C) Divisions have widened within Shinui between those
who advocate withholding party support for the 2005 budget
and those who advocate supporting the budget to save the
government and the disengagement plan. The pro-budget group
has also split over how long party chief Tommy Lapid should
string Prime Minister Sharon along before agreeing to vote
yea, or at least abstain, and for what goals. Lapid rejected
Sharon's latest offer of NIS 600 million (USD 140 million)
for Shinui's pet programs. In a Shinui party council meeting
March 17, emotions flared between council chairman Uriel
Reichmann and Lapid over Reichmann's call for Shinui to
abstain in the vote and thus ensure the budget's passage.
Lapid accused those who wish to abstain on the budget of
"selling out" the party.


2. (C) Another advocate of withholding budget support,
Shinui MK Chemi Doron (protect),himself a disengagement foe,
told Poloff March 18 not to "pay attention to Reichmann... he
wants to be minister so he's making waves." Doron said that
Shinui MKs are all determined to vote against the budget."
Doron was indignant over Sharon's offer to Lapid, and
emphasized that "(Shinui) doesn't need money...(Sharon) can't
buy us." When pressed on his claim that all Shinui MKs will
oppose the budget, Doron acknowledged that two Shinui MKs at
this point want to support the budget: Ilan Leibowitch and
Eti Livni.


3. (C) Shinui MK Ehud Rassabi (protect),however, claimed
that the majority of Shinui MKs support disengagement and,
therefore, want to support the budget. Rassabi underlined
that Lapid does not want the government to fall, but is
engaged in a poker game, not wishing to show his hand until
the last moment. "I completely rely on (Lapid's) judgment,"
Rassabi stressed, "and (Shinui) will all vote with one
voice." Rassabi also stressed in confidence that "at the
end, we'll all do the same thing -- we won't let the
government fall."


4. (C) Comment: Left unknown is the degree of determination
that Shinui budget opponents will show, when, at the 11th
hour, they face the prospect of early elections -- and,
according to recent polls, a loss of Knesset seats -- if they
vote nay.

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