Lieberman: At Least 90 Votes Against Tal Law (INN) ISRAEL NATIONAL NEWS) By Gabe Kahn 05/03/12)
Source: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/155427#.T6KjsOiO2So
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Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman (Yisrael Beiteinu) made a show of
pushing to nullify the Tal Law on Thursday.
"If the Ministerial Committee on Legislation does not approve
the ´Equal Service´ law," he said during a solidarity visit to the
Sucker´s Tent. "I will bring it to the Knesset for a vote myself."
The so-called ´Sucker´s Tent´ is a an encampment by IDF reservists
from the ´Equal Burden Forum´ who are demanding all Israelis serve in
the IDF or perform national service.
Lieberman told the reservists that he estimated the bill would gain
at least 90 votes in the Knesset, and that his party would back any
similar proposal from any other party if it didn´t.
"For this cause, we are willing to share credit with other parties,
and Yisrael Beiteinu will also support bills they propose," he
said. "Right now we have a real opportunity to pass the law because
of the political situation."
"After the election it will be much more difficult," he added.
The Tal Law, which exempts Hareidi men from service in the IDF, has
been the ostensible fulcrum of tension leading to calls to dissolve
the Netanyahu government.
However, it remains unclear if Lieberman´s bold declaration is more
than grandstanding.
Coalition chairman Zeev Elkin on Wednesday introduced a bill for the
dissolution of the Knesset, which is expected to pass all of its
readings in the coming days.
Should Elkin´s bill pass as expected, the Knesset will immediately
end its current session and go on hiatus to allow for elections,
which would occur on September 4.
Lieberman told the reservists that Knesset speaker Reuven Rivlin (an
attorney) told him that if 61 Knesset members sign a petition to
bring the law to a vote, he would be obligated to present it to the
plenum even if a vote to dissolve the Knesset had been taken.
However, according to Knesset legal advisor Eyal Yinon, Israel´s
Basic Laws stipulate that the Tal Law – despite having been found
unconstitutional by the Supreme Court – would stand until 90 days
into the next Knesset.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu´s Likud party and its other
coalition partners – with the exception of United Torah Judaism –
have all agreed to replace the Tal Law, but argue time is needed to
increase the budget for a framework within which to induct
prospective Hareidi soldiers.
With the Likud surging far ahead of any other party in the polls,
Netanyahu is almost certain to be chosen to form the next government
after elections.
Lieberman has already said he hopes to be included in the next
government, which will likely bear a striking resemblance to the
present one.
Analysts say going to elections now allows Netanyahu to buy the time
he wants to draft a suitable replacement for the Tal Law while at the
same time allowing Lieberman to make a show of demanding immediate
action for his constituents. (IsraelNationalNews © 2012 05/03/12)
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