Sharon admits in danger of losing Israel leadership

JERUSALEM – Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon admitted he risks being ousted from the helm of his right-wing Likud faction as polls Monday showed party power-brokers favour a leadership contest as early as November.

Flying home from six days in New York where he won widespread praise at the UN General Assembly for his “courage” in pulling Israel out of the Gaza Strip after a 38-year occupation, Sharon returns home to political quagmire. Although his historic pullout won massive international support and backing from a majority of Israelis, Sharon’s plan has left Likud in tatters, split between Sharon loyalists and its ultra-nationalist, settler-supporting right.The leadership race, made inevitable when arch-rival Benjamin Netanyahu announced his candidacy last month, would be a major blow to Sharon’s authority and the first time a sitting premier has been so challenged by his own party.Recognising trouble ahead, the prime minister confessed to Jewish American leaders in New York on Sunday that he was up against the wall and criticised the party he helped to found in the 1970s.”It is no secret that I have lost the majority in my party and I am in danger of being ousted and exiled.”Unfortunately, it does not look like the party that I founded.The number of extremists and the pressure from outside the party are increasing,” he said, in open reference to those plotting to unseat him.”I do not understand how a ruling party that has another year to serve makes these mistakes,” he added.The latest opinion polls published yesterday showed that although Sharon is narrowing the gap against Netanyahu, he is unlikely to win over setting the date for the primaries, which his rival favours in November.Former premier Netanyahu, the charismatic darling of Israel’s right wants an early vote in order to maximise his chance of riding the tide of Likud discontent over Gaza.Sharon, on the other hand, wants a vote early next year in order to give more time to clear the air and minimise the chance of general elections sooner than their scheduled November 2006.Just over a week before the party meets from September 25 to decide the date, a survey in the Maariv newspaper said that 48 per cent of the 3 000 Likud central committee members want to push the vote forward, compared to 42 pe cent against.A similar poll in the Yediot Aharonot newspaper showed that 47 per cent of the committee want to advance the vote with 45 per cent opposed.- Nampa-AFPAlthough his historic pullout won massive international support and backing from a majority of Israelis, Sharon’s plan has left Likud in tatters, split between Sharon loyalists and its ultra-nationalist, settler-supporting right.The leadership race, made inevitable when arch-rival Benjamin Netanyahu announced his candidacy last month, would be a major blow to Sharon’s authority and the first time a sitting premier has been so challenged by his own party.Recognising trouble ahead, the prime minister confessed to Jewish American leaders in New York on Sunday that he was up against the wall and criticised the party he helped to found in the 1970s.”It is no secret that I have lost the majority in my party and I am in danger of being ousted and exiled.”Unfortunately, it does not look like the party that I founded.The number of extremists and the pressure from outside the party are increasing,” he said, in open reference to those plotting to unseat him.”I do not understand how a ruling party that has another year to serve makes these mistakes,” he added.The latest opinion polls published yesterday showed that although Sharon is narrowing the gap against Netanyahu, he is unlikely to win over setting the date for the primaries, which his rival favours in November.Former premier Netanyahu, the charismatic darling of Israel’s right wants an early vote in order to maximise his chance of riding the tide of Likud discontent over Gaza.Sharon, on the other hand, wants a vote early next year in order to give more time to clear the air and minimise the chance of general elections sooner than their scheduled November 2006.Just over a week before the party meets from September 25 to decide the date, a survey in the Maariv newspaper said that 48 per cent of the 3 000 Likud central committee members want to push the vote forward, compared to 42 pe cent against.A similar poll in the Yediot Aharonot newspaper showed that 47 per cent of the committee want to advance the vote with 45 per cent opposed.- Nampa-AFP