Israel's Barak loses majority, Palestine deal threatened

Israel's Barak loses majority, Palestine deal threatened
REUTERS

JERUSALEM, JUNE 20: Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak's biggest coalitionpartner quit on Tuesday, destroying the premier's parliamentary majority andjeopardising his chances of sealing a peace deal with the Palestinians.

The ultra-Orthodox Shas party capped two weeks of political brinkmanship bytendering the resignations of its four cabinet ministers to Barak's officeafter he failed to resolve a dispute on funding and control of Shas's schoolsystem.

Under Israeli law, the resignations take effect in 48 hours, giving Barakmore time to try to finalise details of an agreement with Shas, whichpolitical commentators said was nearly completed.

"The ball is now in the Prime Minister's court," said Shas's Eli Suissa, theNational infrastructure Minister.

After the letters of resignation were submitted by Raphael Pinhasi,secretary of the party's governing Council of Torah Sages, Israel Radioquoted officials close to Barak as saying he would try to form a newcoalition.

Shas made its move at a critical juncture in Israeli-Palestinianpeacemaking. With a September target date for a peace treaty looming, U.S.Secretary of State Madeleine Albright is scheduled to return to the regionnext week.

She is expected to try to narrow land-for-peace gaps and set the stage for apossible last-ditch, three-way summit to be attended by Barak, PalestinianPresident Yasser Arafat and U.S. President Bill Clinton.

Shas has 17 seats in the 120-member parliament. Barak, head of the OneIsrael alliance, had governed with a 68-52 majority.

Without Shas, he would likely enlist the six-seat, anti-Orthodox Shinuiparty into a shrunken coalition and have to rely on the outside support ofArab parties in pursuing peace moves with the Palestinians.

The sides aim to conclude by a September target date a peace treaty thatwould solve the most difficult issues at the heart of their conflict, suchas the status of Jerusalem, Palestinian refugees, borders and Jewishsettlements.

Arafat has said he will declare a Palestinian state in the West Bank andGaza Strip this year with or without a peace agreement with Israel.