Likud hardliners gear up for new bid to derail Gaza pullout plan

JERUSALEM – Hardline members of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s own Likud party were gearing up yesterday for a new bid to derail the planned pullout from the Gaza Strip at an upcoming convention.

Sharon, who lost his parliamentary majority two months ago after the defection of right-wing coalition partners, is desperately trying to stitch together a new coalition which would allow him to steer the plan through the Knesset. But even as talks with the main opposition Labour party and other religious parties drag on, Sharon now faces the prospect of having to placate his own party once more at a convention of some 3 000 members on August 18 that was agreed to by Likud bosses on Monday.Sharon has continued to pursue his so-called disengagement plan despite its rejection in a May referendum of Likud members and he has again made clear he has no intention of allowing the party convention of derailing the project.But observers warned yesterday that he ran the risk of being disowned by his own party at the convention, with opposition to the premier’s plans being mobilised by some of his own cabinet ministers.Minister without portfolio Uzi Landau said that his supporters, who include 11 of Likud’s 40 deputies, would be arguing that Sharon was acting in contravention of party rules by negotiating with Labour.- Nampa-AFPBut even as talks with the main opposition Labour party and other religious parties drag on, Sharon now faces the prospect of having to placate his own party once more at a convention of some 3 000 members on August 18 that was agreed to by Likud bosses on Monday.Sharon has continued to pursue his so-called disengagement plan despite its rejection in a May referendum of Likud members and he has again made clear he has no intention of allowing the party convention of derailing the project.But observers warned yesterday that he ran the risk of being disowned by his own party at the convention, with opposition to the premier’s plans being mobilised by some of his own cabinet ministers.Minister without portfolio Uzi Landau said that his supporters, who include 11 of Likud’s 40 deputies, would be arguing that Sharon was acting in contravention of party rules by negotiating with Labour.- Nampa-AFP