March 21, 2025
    Advanced Search 
  Home>News Center>World
         
 

Netanyahu quits over Israeli Gaza pullout
(AP)
Updated: 2005-08-08 08:39

Benjamin Netanyahu stepped down as Israel's finance minister Sunday in a last-minute protest against next week's Gaza pullout, but his stunned Cabinet colleagues pushed ahead and approved the first stage of the withdrawal plan just moments later, Associated Press reported.

Netanyahu, a hard-liner and former prime minister with ambitions to reclaim the top job, acknowledged Sunday that he will not be able to stop the withdrawal. He said he resigned nonetheless because he fears the pullout will turn Gaza into a "base of Islamic terror" and endanger Israel.

In an immediate response, Israel's stock market dropped 5 percent within an hour. Netanyahu had adopted a pro-business economic policy and cut welfare benefits in more than two years as finance minister. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, trying to limit damage to the economy, announced he would stick to that approach.

Netanyahu quits over Israeli Gaza pullout
Israel's Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gestures during a press conference announcing his resignation, in the Finance Ministry in Jerusalem, Sunday, Aug. 7, 2005.[AP]
The resignation could also force early elections; for now, the vote is set for November 2006. Netanyahu enjoys strong support in the ruling Likud Party, which largely opposes the pullout, and could try to wrest Likud leadership from Sharon in coming months as a step toward running for prime minister.

The 55-year-old Netanyahu had given no indication that he would resign, despite his zigzagging over the Gaza pullout in recent months. The weekly Cabinet meeting was already under way for several hours Sunday, with ministers about to give final approval to the first stage of the withdrawal plan — the dismantling of the isolated Gaza settlements of Morag, Kfar Darom and Netzarim.

When it was Netanyahu's turn to speak, he got up from his seat instead and placed a note on the table that he should be counted among those voting "no," said Housing Minister Yitzhak Herzog of the centrist Labor Party.

Netanyahu quits over Israeli Gaza pullout
Israeli border police clash with Jewish settlers as they block an Israeli army truck at the Jewish settlement of Kfar Darom in the Gush Katif bloc in Gaza Strip August 7, 2005. Israeli Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu resigned in protest on Sunday as the cabinet approved the first phase of evacuations from settlements in the occupied Gaza Strip. [Reuters]
Netanyahu then gave Sharon the letter of resignation. When Cabinet Minister Tzachi Hanegbi of Likud asked Netanyahu for an explanation, the finance minister said it could be found in the letter, Herzog said.

"It was very dramatic in there," said Cabinet minister Matan Vilnai of Labor. Vilnai said Sharon did not react.

Shortly after Netanyahu left, the ministers voted 17-5 to approve the dismantling of the first three settlements. Netanyahu's note was counted as a "no" vote. In all, some 9,000 settlers will be removed from their homes in 25 settlements — 21 in Gaza and four in the northern West Bank.

Netanyahu later told a news conference he was conflicted because he had hoped to continue guiding economic policy, but could not lend his support to the pullout plan. "I cannot stop this (the pullout), but I can be at peace with myself," he said.

His decision increased pressure on several other Likud hard-liners in the Cabinet to step down. However, the most senior minister in that group, Education Minister Limor Livnat, said she did not plan to resign.

Jewish settler leaders had long hoped the charismatic Netanyahu would quit the government and lead their struggle against the Gaza pullout. They praised Netanyahu's decision, but Eran Sternberg, spokesman for the Gaza settlers, said it came "far too late."

Sunday's Cabinet vote was largely a formality, since the government has repeatedly approved the overall withdrawal.

An aide to Sharon, Raanan Gissin, said the resignation would not affect the timetable of the pullout.

Sharon tried reassure jittery investors Sunday, saying Israel would not change its economic policy. He told Bank of Israel Governor Stanley Fischer that the upcoming state budget will meet deficit and expenditure targets that were set by the government, the prime minister's office said in a statement.

Sharon said he would appoint his close confidant, Vice Premier Ehud Olmert, as acting finance minister. Like Netanyahu, Olmert is seen as pro-business. In a statement, Sharon said current policy would continue.



USS Park Royal crew await for Rice
Coffin of Milosevic flew to Belgrade
Kidnapping spree in Gaza Strip
 
  Today's Top News     Top World News
 

Australia, US, Japan praise China for Asia engagement

 

   
 

Banker: China doing its best on flexible yuan

 

   
 

Hopes high for oil pipeline deal

 

   
 

Possibilities of bird flu outbreaks reduced

 

   
 

Milosevic buried after emotional farewell

 

   
 

China considers trade contracts in India

 

   
  Journalist's alleged killers held in Iraq
   
  No poisons found in Milosevic's body
   
  US, Britain, France upbeat on Iran agreement
   
  Fatah officials call for Abbas to resign
   
  Sectarian violence increases in Iraq
   
  US support for troops in Iraq hits new low
   
 
  Go to Another Section  
 
 
  Story Tools  
 
Font Large Medium Small
E-Mail This Story
Print Friendly Format
Comment On This Story
Save This Story
 
  Related Stories  
   
Palestinians fire on Israeli protesters
   
Islamic Jihad declares halt in rocket fire
   
Gaza settlers begin voluntary weapons handover
   
Jewish extremist opens fire inside bus
Manufacturers, Exporters, Wholesalers - Global trade starts here.
Advertisement
         

| Home | News | Business | Living in China | Forum | E-Papers | Weather |

| About China Daily | About China Daily.com.cn | Contact Us | Site Map | Jobs |
 Copyright 2005 Chinadaily.com.cn All rights reserved. Registered Number: 20100000002731
主站蜘蛛池模板: 亚洲AV无码乱码在线观看富二代 | 2345成人高清毛片| 很黄很色的女同性互慰小说| 久久精品国产亚洲AV麻豆~| 欧美夫妇交换完整版随便看| 亚洲视频一区二区在线观看| 精品免费tv久久久久久久| 国产chinasex对白videos麻豆| 黄色大片在线观看| 国产破外女出血视频| 8x成人在线电影| 天堂√在线中文最新版8| 一级做a爰片久久毛片唾| 无码中文字幕av免费放| 久久发布国产伦子伦精品| 最近最新中文字幕6页| 亚洲国产精品一区二区久| 欧美黑人xxxx性高清版| 在线成人播放毛片| 一本大道东京热无码一区| 手机在线中文字幕| 久久亚洲欧美国产精品| 日韩精品无码一本二本三本| 亚洲人成中文字幕在线观看| 欧美日韩国产综合在线| 亚洲精品无码乱码成人| 男性gay黄免费网站| 午夜视频久久久久一区| 色噜噜狠狠狠狠色综合久一| 国产免费久久精品| 麻豆安全免费网址入口| 国产无遮挡又黄又爽网站| 香蕉久久综合精品首页| 国产精品第7页| 911香蕉视频| 国产视频一区二区在线观看| 992人人tv| 国模视频一区二区| 99精品久久99久久久久| 大臿蕉香蕉大视频成人| av免费网址在线观看|