Knesset Rejects Disengagement Postponement
13:53 Jul 20, '05 / 13 Tammuz 5765

[IMRA The Hebrew version of this item notes that Minister Livnat made
arrangements to offset her absence with someone who supported the bill and
also was not present www.a7.org/news.php?id=118650
Ynet www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-3115535,00.html report that of the 40
Likud MKs, 21 opposed, 16 supported and 3 were not present (Netanyahu,
Livnat (offset) and Gamliel].

(IsraelNN.com) The Knesset a short time ago rejected a bill to postpone
implementation of the Disengagement Plan to uproot Jewish towns in Gaza and
Samaria. The 69:41 against vote defeated the bill, introduced by MK Zevulun
Orlev of the National Religious Party (NRP), after a brief parliamentary
debate. The bill, if made law, would have postponed the implementation of
Disengagement by several months.

The MKs supporting Mr. Orlev's bill were the representatives of the Shas
party, the NRP, the National Union and individual Likud loyalists, who have
taken roles in fighting against Disengagement, as well as MK Meir Porush of
the Agudat Yisrael party. Deputy Minister of Social Welfare Avraham Ravitz
(Degel HaTorah) abstained from the vote, despite the fact that by not
supporting the government position while present for the vote, he may not be
allowed to remain in his governmental role.

Ministers Binyamin Netanyahu and Limor Livnat, as well as Deputy Minister
Gila Gamliel, all from the Likud party, absented themselves from the plenum
during the vote, as did other MKs from the Agudat Yisrael and Degel HaTorah
parties. All other ministers, MKs of the left-wing and Arab party
representatives voted against the bill, as did Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin
and Coalition Chairman Gideon Sa'ar.

Click here for our free Daily News Report from Israel

Published: 13:45 July 20, 2005
Last Update: 13:53 July 20, 2005