The Israeli parliament goes back into session Monday after a three-month recess, amid serious political uncertainty and fears that ongoing Jewish-Arab friction will be given further expression in the political arena, reported the Jerusalem Post newspaper.
Prime Minister Ehud Barak is to open the winter session with a policy address, and it is unclear whether he will win majority support for it, said the paper.
Barak is also facing a mound of hostile legislation that will be difficult to thwart in the coming weeks without a larger coalition.
While Barak is going into the session with a plan for a unity government, the political consensus is that the 15th Knesset won't finish its term and new elections are likely in the spring, according to the paper.
Arab-Jewish controversy was already touched off Sunday, when United Arab List whip Taleb Sane'a filed a request to start Monday's session with a "moment of silence for the 13 Arab victims who are citizens of Israel and all of the victims of the Al-Aqsa Intifada."
According to the paper, Knesset Speaker Avraham Burg rejected the request after holding consultations, citing "no precedent for that type of moment."
Moreover, he said, he does not think it is fitting to start the session with something controversial that is liable to "inflame tempers and cause a disrespect for the deceased."
Likud member Ruby Rivlin, meanwhile, predicted that this session would witness for the first time the kind of fist fights seen in the parliaments of Taiwan or South Korea.
Several no-confidence motions on legislation carried over from the summer session are scheduled to be heard Monday, said the Jerusalem Post.
In the meantime, Finance Minister Avraham Shochat is to present Monday the 2001 budget and economic arrangement bills. The first reading of the bill is scheduled for Wednesday, but is likely to be delayed because of the coalition crisis, according to the paper.
The early elections bill that have been approved for first reading are expected to remain on hold as long as national unity government talks continue – Albawaba.com
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
