JERUSALEM - Responding angrily to charges of corruption, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon told the Knesset that the "anti-corruption campaign is an onslaught that is trying paint the Likud as the front of all evil and corruption."
Sharon also told his critics to "look at themselves in the mirror."
The left-wing Yahad list amassed 40 signatures of Knesset members to legally oblige Sharon to show up for the debate, and it was a tough day for the government.
The Knesset approved three no-confidence motions submitted by opposition parties, but the majority necessary to topple the government was not obtained.
Two of the no-confidence votes related to the surge in violence in Israel, while the third vote was over the crisis in the country’s education system.
This marked the first time the current government has lost three straight motions.
Sharon on the defensive
Following the session on the no-confidence motions, the plenum began a special session regarding governmental corruption in Israel. That is when Prime Minister Ariel Sharon launched his broadside against critics of the Likud Party.
"There's no other objective beyond this effort that the simple desire to sully the Likud movement," said Sharon. "There's no doubt that it won't succeed."
He also said that "anyone even slightly familiar with the goings-on of the parties in this building knows how ridiculous this is."
Attack from the Left
Knesset Member Zehava Galon (Yahad) said during the session, “Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Therefore, Mr. Prime Minister, the test is not whether corruption exists. The test of an enlightened country is whether it possesses effective mechanisms to battle corruption.”
“Political corruption is raging unabated, especially regarding three main areas: Fringe benefits and political appointments, the financing and maintenance of illegal outposts (in the territories), and in the positioning of legislators above the law,” she said.
Knesset Member Avraham Shochat (Labor) also attacked the appointments of senior Likud party bureaucrats to government positions.
"I read the 32 pages of the Comptroller's report, and they all deal with (Agriculture) Minister Yisrael Katz … The bringing in of brothers, cousins, neighbors, Central Committee members who have voting rights in the Central Committe," Shochat said.
Likud politicians respond
Deputy Defense Minister Zeev Boim came to Sharon’s defense, saying, “There is a feeling a crusade is being conducted against the Likud.”
Knesset Member Michael Eitan (Likud) added that he doubted a genuine anti-corrption campaign would emerge as the partiamentary debate only served "political and party goals."
The Knesset rejected Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s announcement during the special session on government corruption by a 43 to 30 majority.
