On the surface, one might think that Labor Party faction members voted against the appointment of Eli Aflalo as Absorption Minister and Ruchama Avraham-Balila as Tourism Minister because of their affiliation with Kadima, or perhaps, because of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s sinking reputation as the damaging evidence against him in ongoing police investigations seems to mount.

Unfortunately, Labor’s motives are not so pristine. In actuality, what prompted Labor to vote no-confidence against the government, opposing the cabinet appointments, was the fact that Olmert reneged on his promise to appoint Dr. Avishai Braverman as head of the Knesset Finance Committee. After it became clear that the prime minister did not plan to make good on his promise to advance the Laborite MK, Labor leader Defense Minister Ehud Barak ordered the vote against the appointments.

As was to be expected, prior to the vote on the new cabinet appointments, opposition leader Binyamin Netanyahu asked that the vote be viewed as a no-confidence vote against the coalition to sharpen the proverbial knife attack against Olmert and his coalition – well aware that Labor was not planning to support the cabinet appointments.

Analysts agree that the move caused even more shame to Mr. Olmert, who a short time ago brazenly announced that any member of his cabinet who supports a no-confidence vote would promptly be dismissed from the cabinet. Today, with his government and world crumbling around him, it appears the prime minister is not acting expeditiously to make good on his threat, realizing that his days are indeed numbered and for now, he opts to enjoy the remaining time allotted him, not seeking to shorten it – even at the expense of the embarrassment.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)