Israel's Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on Friday fired two government ministers opposed to his proposed Gaza Strip pullout.
Sharon summoned the two ministers of the far-right National Union Party, Avigdor Lieberman and Benny Elon, to his office Friday to deliver the dismissal notices. They would take effect in 48 hours, giving Sharon a majority ahead of Sunday's expected Cabinet vote. The two ministers have refused to accept the letters, forcing Sharon to deliver the dismissal messages through phone calls.
On Thursday, Sharon said he was determined to bring his pullout plan to a vote on Sunday even though he has no guarantee it will pass and a win could lead to the collapse of his coalition government.
Before the firing of Liberman and Elon, 12 Cabinet ministers opposed the plan and 11 support it. Another faction supported by Jewish settlers, the National Religious Party, has threatened to quit if Sharon dismissed the two ministers.
"I'm being fired for disagreeing with the prime minister," Liberman said Friday, adding he would have resigned had the plan passed. Lieberman accused Sharon of laying his failures, such as the split within his own Likud party, at the feet of the National Union. (Albawaba.com)
© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
