At present, there does not appear a majority in the 120-seat Knesset to dissolve the current coalition government. Likud MK Silvan Shalom is working in earnest to amass enough signatures for such a move, 61, but it does not appear he will succeed despite the continued release of news tying the prime minister to widespread corruption.

While going to the polls would suit the Likud’s agenda, such a move is not welcome by the Labor Party. That said — Defense Minister Ehud Barak, the Labor leader, may be compelled to support a move to go to the polls if public opinion for such a move grows too strong, realizing that his continued decision to provide a safety net for the government coalition could backfire at the polls.

As far as Shas is concerned, the Council of Torah Sages has yet to say its mind, but senior party leaders will not be recommending they leave the government anytime soon since political alternatives under a Netanyahu or Livni-led coalition are less favorable to the Sephardic chareidi party.

Should Shalom obtain a simple majority to dissolve the Knesset, the country would be compelled to go to elections and the current administration would automatically become a transition government, limiting its decision-making abilities vis-à-vis agreements with the Palestinian Authority or Syria.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)