Moshe Burt

Anyone who thinks that Sharon won a great victory in getting his Likud, Labor, UTJ coalition in place and "insuring passage by the Knesset of both the budget and HIS attempted Expulsion of Jews from Gush Katif, the Shomron and more better look again.

I frankly don't see how he's gonna pass the budget, or the expulsion.  Whoever railroaded through the decision that UTJ (Gimmel) join this bleep coalition of Satan exercised tragic, terrible, flawed judgement.  Rav Kook says that  "'wheeler-dealers' misled Rabbi Elyashiv..."  Their very premise was their votes don't mean anyrhing re: the expulsion, so they might as well join the "government" and correct the injustice of the religious being trashed by Tommy Lapid and Shinui. UTJ's 5 votes in fact meant the difference between approval and disapproval of the government in Knesset. We now see by the 58-56 vote they had/have it in their power, in their very hands the potential to topple Sharon.

The Likud rebel ranks will now swell as these 13 MKs, for the first time in Israel's history, were profiles in courage in stepping out of the box, crossing the red line, sticking to their guns in doing the will of the Likud Central Committee.  They may be punished by Sharon and his plumber son, "Kojak" Omri, but this punishment may actually serve to swell the rebel ranks. 

We are in the midst of great change.  Damn, I'm proud to a part of Manhigut Yehudit.

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Moshe Burt, an Oleh, is a commentator on news and events in Israel and Founder and Director of The Sefer Torah Recycling Network .  He lives in Ramat Beit  Shemesh.