Mofaz Campaign Expected to Gain Momentum
Mofaz and his 50 Senior Officers and Generals — Mean fighting machine (?), each with their own promotional agenda to make meteoric moves up through the ranks! MB
Ha’aretz News Flash: 09:43 Sheetrit on future pardon for Barghouti: Never say never
Sharon Said Planning to Push for ‘Presidential’ System of Gov’t
Excerpts:
“Ariel Sharon, if re-elected to a third term, may press for a change in Israel’s system of government to a ‘presidential system,’ in which the prime minister would be elected directly, and members of Knesset would be elected according to regions of the country.”
“‘The greatest thing that this party can do for the country,’ Kadima cabinet minister Meir Sheetrit said Sunday, referring to Sharon’s new faction, ‘is to change the system of government.‘”
“For a brief period beginning in the 1990s, voters could cast separate ballots, voting for the prime minister individually, and for a party list which would determine overall representation in Knesset.”
“According to Sheetrit, in changing the system only partially, the advantages of changing the system comprehensively were lost.”
“A comprehensive presidential-regional system ‘will prompt stability in government and a much stronger connection between elected officials and those who elected them.'”
“If members of Knesset are chosen from regions ‘only people whom the voters want will be elected, not those whom the party central committees want. This would make a most serious contribution to the quality of government in Israel,’ he told Israel Radio.”
Commentary:
For those who don’t suffer from convenient amnesia and care to remember, Arik Sharon’s first move in his first term as Prime Minister was to abolish the direct election law. It was Arik Sharon who chose to abolish the law entirely rather than having the integrity to change and refine the law for regional candidates for Knesset. I suppose that such a change didn’t suit his now apparent agenda.
Would such election reform actually take place? It depends on the results and what would be expedient for Arik Sharon or for a dictatorial successor. Under the current method of governing Israel, laws were made to reversed in accordance with the prevailing perception of political expediency. MB
Sharon Considers Presidential Rule
Excerpt:
“…prime minister vows to change Israeli system of government if reelected in order to make it difficult for parties’ central committees to hinder leaders. ”