ISRAELI KNESSET APPROVES ARIEL SHARON'S CABINET








TEL AVIV, March 9, 2001. /RIA Novosti correspondent Andrei Pravov/. The Israeli Knesset has approved the government of national unity of Ariel Sharon, new prime-minister. In all, 72 deputies voted in favour of the approval, with 21 deputies against it. Several deputies from the national religious party MAFDAL, from the "Avoda" and the left-wing party MERETZ were demonstratively absent at the voting.


	After the approval the new prime minister and members of the Cabinet took the oath and already on Thursday early in the morning drank a glass of champagne and took pictures in the residence of Moshe Katzav to commemorate the event.


	The new government is composed of 26 ministers and 13 deputy ministers. It is supported by 73 deputy mandates in the Knesset.


	Unexpectedly for many observers several hours before the approval of the Cabinet, there appeared to emerge a crisis in the opposition ranks. Member of the coalition, the religious party SHAS stated that its 17 deputies might vote against approval of the government unless the Knesset took the decision to grant a new two year deferment from military service to students of religious schools. The majority of the left-wing parties' deputies are opposing this decision as they think that these young people must serve in the army like all other citizens of the country.


	Nevertheless, 59 deputies voted in favour of the deferment, 38 spoke against it and 7 deputies abstained. After that, according to observers, the emerging coalition crisis was overcome.


	On Wednesday, the Knesset also approved in the second and third readings amendments to the election law.


	From now on, the prime minister of the country will not be elected by direct voting. Israel is returning to the system which existed prior to 1996 when elections in the country were conducted only on the basis of party lists. Leader of the party which receives the majority of mandates becomes prime minister and forms coalition. In all, 72 deputies voted in favour of the return to the old system, 37 voted against it and three deputies abstained from voting.