Israel’s opposition Labour party has ruled out rejoining a government headed by Ariel Sharon after the general election in two weeks, a decision which will almost certainly push his administration further to the right if he is returned to power.
Yesterday’s announcement by the Labour leader, Amram Mitzna, leaves Sharon to seek a coalition either with far-right religious parties opposed to a Palestinian state, or with the centrist Shinui party which wants to turn the Jewish state into a secular country.
Neither is attractive to the prime minister, who yesterday ruled out working with religious parties, because it would tie his hands in negotiations with the Palestinians. Some, such as the National Union-Yisrael Beiteinu, advocate the ”transfer” of Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza.
Mitzna said he could not serve under a prime minister and party so tainted by corruption, following the revelations of vote buying and illegal cam paign funds that have driven Sharon’s Likud down severely in the polls. He said talk of reviving a unity government, similar to the one in which Labour served for two years until December, was misplaced.
”The time has come to recognise that this is a delusion,” he said. ”We will not be in a government led by Sharon. It’s us or him. Anyone who doesn’t vote Labour is voting for Sharon.”
A senior Labour knesset member, Haim Ramon, said voters should know that a vote for Likud would be a vote for the far right. ”There has already been a Sharon government, and it was a terrible government, a bad government, and there is no argument about that,” he said.
”We are telling the public that if you want a change, there is only one option, either an extreme rightwing government headed by Sharon, or a unity government led by Mitzna.”
Sharon rejected Mitzna’s position.”Today a unity government is more important than ever,” he said. ”Most citizens of Israel are watching and expect us to unite.”
Mitzna has failed to capitalise on Likud’s slide in recent weeks, but Labour believes it can increase its tally of seats by 10% by saying it will not work with Sharon.
Part of the prime minister’s support is built on his promise to bring all mainstream parties into government and to reject far right and religious parties.
Likud is counting on a post-election revolt within Labour to force Mitzna to join a coalition or to quit.
Another corruption scandal was bubbling yesterday after the police said they were investigating allegations that non-profit organisations aiding Jewish victims of attacks in the West Bank illegally diverted funds to Likud.
Israeli army radio said yesterday that two cabinet ministers and other senior party officials raised money abroad by promising that donations would buy medical equipment, but some of the cash went to Likud. – Guardian Unlimited Â