Despite the lifting of the gag order and the release of information against Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, the cabinet ministers are remaining conspicuously silent, with each concerned with his/her own agenda.

The ministers of the prime minister’s party, Tzipi Livni, Shaul Mofaz and Meir Sheetrit are busying themselves with weighing the political climate, each viewing himself as a possible prime ministerial candidate, not willing to make a statement that might jeopardize a future campaign of his/her position in Kadima.

As for the Labor Party, the senior coalition member, as YWN reported earlier, party leader Defense Minister Ehud Barak cannot assume the mantle of leadership because he is not a MK and regarding elections, polls reflect he would not emerge the victor. As such, Barak prefers the current situation for as long as he can remain, realizing this is the best scenario for the time being. Therefore, he too remains silent.

As for Shas, party ministers are waiting for Rav Ovadia Yosef Shlita to give them instructions but the leadership, Eli Yishai and others, prefer to assist Olmert for as long as possible, realizing the Shas agenda will be best served under the current governmental arrangement, realizing Tzipi Livni or a Likud-led government would be far less sympathetic to Shas’ agenda.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)