Voting was accomplished sitting down, in a very calm and orderly fashion. The inaugural speeches that followed were even more unusual. Ex-prime minister Ehud Barak, Sharon, and Yossi Sarid, head of the new opposition, each gave a scintillating speech, with opposing views, scathing attacks, and sarcastic remarks. The speeches were heard with dignity and reserve by the Knesset and the public who could, for once, evaluate the message of the speeches and not the televised antics of the members of Israel s highest parliamentary authority. It seems as if suddenly there is an administration.
Someone is in charge.
You can agree with him, oppose him, and disagree with his politics and policies. But there is someone who has taken charge of the country s affairs. The main message of Sharon s inaugural session was that government has been restored. The Knesset and the Israeli public received it with appreciation. Eretz Hatzvi Ltd. All rights reserved.