World News 31-10-2002 Israeli Government In Tatters who: Shimon Peres what: Leads his party in walk-out as ruling coalition collapses where: Israel when: Yesterday snippet: "Israel`s coalition government collapsed yesterday," says The Independent, "when Ariel Sharon`s main Labour party partners resigned, leaving the country in political confusion even as an American war on Iraq loomed and amid the Palestinian intifada." "Defence Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer - the Labor Party leader - and Foreign Minister Shimon Peres resigned on Wednesday amid a bitter row over funding for Jewish settlements," explains the BBC. "Mr Peres said all of his Labor colleagues in the government were tendering their resignations." "Mr Sharon, who faces a confidence vote on Monday, is left with control of only 55 seats in the 120-seat Knesset," says The Financial Times. "If he decides to dissolve parliament, elections must be held in the next 90 days." "Officials of the prime minister`s Likud Party said he intended to form a Right-wing government once the Labour ministers` resignations took effect in 48 hours, but would consider calling early elections if this failed," writes The Telegraph`s Alan Philps from Jerusalem. "If he takes the former course, his administration is unlikely to last long, as he will be prey to political blackmail from small parties." [... more]

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