Israel's largest government ever, with 26 ministers and 12 deputy ministers, is to be installed Wednesday.
The Knesset is expected to approve a vote of confidence in the coalition put together by Prime Minister-elect Ariel.
The coalition is assured the 73 votes of Likud, Labor, Shas, National Union, Yisrael b'Aliyah, One Nation and New Way - Dalia Rabin Pelesof's one-person faction, said Haaretz newspaper.
But it could be larger with supporting votes from some of Sharon's natural allies who have been left out of the cabinet - the National Religious Party, Gesher, United Torah Judaism, and ex-Likudniks from the remnants of the Center Party, said the paper.
The Knesset session will open with Sharon informing the house of the ministers who will serve in his government, and presenting a state of the nation speech, said The Jerusalem Post newspaper.
That will be followed by Outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Barak's farewell speech, it added.
Following Barak's speech, opposition leader Yossi Sarid of Meretz will respond, and then each faction will send someone to the podium to comment on the proposed new government.
Only after all the factions have had their chance to speak, does the house vote on the new government.
Once the vote is counted, with the new government winning its majority, first the prime minister, then each of his ministers, take the podium to declare that they will "be faithful to the State of Israel and its laws, fulfill my duty as minister, and obey the decisions of the Knesset," said the Post.
At that point, they take their seats at the government table in the center of the plenum floor.
Following is the government’s ministerial line-up as reported by Haaretz:
1- Prime Minister: Ariel Sharon (Likud)
2- Foreign Minister: Shimon Peres (Labor)
3- Defense Minister: Binyamin Ben-Eliezer (Labor)
4- Transportation Minister: Ephraim Sneh (Labor)
5- Agriculture Minister: Shalom Simhon (Labor)
6- Trade and Industry Minister: Dalia Itzik (Labor)
7- Science, Culture and Sport Minister: Matan Vilnai (Labor)
8- Minister without Portfolio: Salah Tarif (Labor)
9- Minister without Portfolio: Ra'anan Cohen(Labor)
10- Finance Minister: Silvan Shalom (Likud)
11- Justice Minister: Meir Sheetrit (Likud)
12- Education Minister: Limor Livnat (Likud)
13- Public Security Minister: Uzi Landau (Likud)
14- Communication Minister: Reuven Rivlin (Likud)
15- Environment Minister: Tzachi Hanegbi (Likud)
16- Minister without Portfolio: Danny Naveh (Likud)
17- Minister without Portfolio: Tzipi Livni (Likud)
18- Interior Minister and Deputy Prime Minister: Eli Yishai (Shas)
19- Labor and Social Affairs Minister: Shlomo Benizri (Shas)
20- Health Minister: Nissim Dahan (Shas)
21- Jerusalem Affairs Minister: Eli Suissa (Shas)
22- National Infrastructure Minister: Avigdor Lieberman (National Union-Yisrael Beiteinu)
23- Tourism Minister: Rehavam Ze'evi (National Union-Yisrael Beiteinu)
24- Housing and Construction Minister: Natan Sharansky (Yisrael b'Aliyah)
25- Religious Affairs Minister: Asher Ohana (Shas)
Deputy Ministers:
1- Naomi Blumenthal (Likud)
2- Gideon Ezra (Likud)
3- Dalia Rabin-Pelossof (Center) – Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
