Premier Menachem Begin declared today that early elections are unavoidable and predicted that “objective circumstances” would send Israelis to the polls again “within a year.” Israel held its last elections on June 30, 1981 when the Likud government was returned to office for another four-year term, though with a substantially reduced majority.
Begin spoke to reporters in the aftermath of last night’s tied vote in the Knesset on a motion of no-confidence which had brought him to the brink of resigning. He said he had been determined to quit but deferred to a Cabinet majority which voted 12-6 to remain in office at an emergency session late last night.
Begin explained to the reporters that it would be very difficult to pass any bills in the Knesset where government and opposition forces are, at least for the moment, evenly divided and therefore early elections are a must.
Begin’s remarks came after a tumultuous Knesset session today during which the government managed to pass on interim budget bill on first reading by a vote of 57-2. The opposition Labor Alignment, in a fury over the way the government handled the budget debate, didn’t bother to raise hands for or against the measure.
Knesset observers described the scene as pandemonium when Knesset Speaker Menachem Savidor suddenly halted debate and called for a vote despite roaring protests from the opposition. He used that tactic because MK Haim Druckman of the National Religious Party was temporarily absent from the chamber. It was Druckman whose defection from the coalition yesterday, brought about the 58-58 tie on the no-confidence motion critical of the government’s handling of unrest on the West Bank.
Druckman, a bitter opponent of Israel’s impending withdrawal from Sinai, cast his vote against the government on that ground and indicated that he would oppose that government from now on regardless of the issue. It was to avoid a deadlock similar to what occurred last night that Savidor interrupted debate, a move the Laborites charged was unprecedented and illegal.
The interim budget will allow the government to function when the new fiscal year begins April 1 until a permanent budget is adopted. It must survive two more readings in the Knesset. If all of the opposition factions, plus Druckman, reject it, Israel for the first time in its history may enter a new fiscal year without a formal budget.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
