IT'S COMING DOWN,
IT'S COMING DOWN,
IT'S COMING DOWN

JERUSALEM, Oct. 30 - Talks designed to prevent a breakup of the 19-month-old coalition government ended in failure today, resulting in the resignation of Defense Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer.

The decision by Mr. Ben-Eliezer, the leader of the left-leaning Labor Party, presaged an almost certain vote by Labor representatives in Parliament against a budget proposed by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. (Full Story)

This is a wonderful sign. There are large, moderate, peace-craving populations among both Israelis and Palestinians, who want to see an immediate end to all of this madness. On the Israeli side, this is the first time since the advent of the A-hole Sharon regime that such voices have taken a serious stand politically. Sure, it was a budget dispute, but it was also about Sharon's financial incentives toward settlers. Oh, and:

Labor has complained that the budget favors settlers over the poor, but Mr. Sharon has said he would dismiss anyone from his government who opposed his plan.(emphasis added)

Hmm. I have a feeling that the fellows out on Sproul Plaza who hand out the "free speech? only in israel" papers on pro-Palestinian-statehood, pro-divestment protest days don't stick that little tidbit in there! Ha!