By Ryan Jones
Sep 04, 2005
Israel?s election ?circus,? as Jerusalem Post Editor David Horovitz put it, is swinging into full gear amid expecations the ruling Likud Party will hold early primaries this month to determine the fate of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
Individuals who proclaim loyalty to the Likud platform have initiated efforts to oust Sharon after he ignored numerous polls of its members ? at least two of which Sharon himself called for ? regarding his plan to uproot the Jews of Gaza and northern Samaria.
Following implementation of the ?disengagement,? most of the Likud?s powerful central committee, which elects the party?s Knesset list and likely the next prime minister, appears determined to see Sharon removed.
Likud leadership candidates Binyamin Netanyahu and Uzi Landau agreed last week to work together to ensure the party primary takes place as soon as possible.
Their campaign teams intend to personally lobby each of the central committee?s 3,000 members, who are scheduled to convene on September 26 to vote on the date for the crucial primary.
After that, Landau insists his cooperation with Netanyahu will end, as he intends to defeat both his rivals and lead the Likud back to its political roots.
Sharon, meanwhile, is making every effort to thwart an early primary vote.
He plans to meet with 70 key central committee members at his official residence in Jerusalem Monday, and will address another gathering Thursday at the Likud?s Tel Aviv headquarters.
?Help me stop them from toppling me,? Sharon pleaded with a small group of central committee members who showed up to meet with him last Thursday. ?This is not an election, it's a coup attempt.?
Central committee chairman, Minister Tzahi Hanegbi, asked fellow Likud ministers Sunday to back a compromise, whereby the primary would be held in February of next year. Sharon wants the primary no earlier than May 2006, and his rivals insist on November of this year.
Netanyahu reportedly rejected the compromise, with his spokesman telling The Jerusalem Post, ?Sharon has to stand before his voters and accept their will.?
Senior Likud officials are also making every effort to convince Sharon not to leave the Likud if he is defeated by Netanyahu, who polls show taking a comfortable victory.
Party officials fear Sharon?s departure and establishment of an alternative Knesset faction could result in far fewer mandates for the Likud, sending the party into the opposition against a fully leftist government.
Unnamed sources told The Jerusalem Post that if Sharon leaves, he will set out a policy most in the Likud would consider ?dovish? and dangerous for the future security of the Jewish state.
That policy would center on establishing Israel?s final borders with a Palestinian Arab state along the current ?West Bank? security fence.
The Post also reported that Sharon does not plan to participate in a November Likud primary, and will announce his departure from the party immediately if the central committee backs Netanyahu?s position.