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Thread ID: 20278 | Posts: 1 | Started: 2005-09-18
2005-09-18 15:50 | User Profile
w w w . h a a r e t z . c o m Last update - 13:45 18/09/2005 Netanyahu, Landau urge Likud: Force PM to quit the party now By Aluf Benn, Haaretz Correspondent
Benjamin Netanyahu and Uzi Landau, campaigning to unseat Ariel Sharon from the chairmanship of the Likud and to succeed him as the party's candidate for the premiership, joined forces Sunday in a bid to force the prime minister to quit the Likud as soon as possible.
In a joint letter sent to the 3,000 members of the influential Likud Central Committee, Netanyahu and Landau urged the party activists to move primary elections up to November, in order to head off a situation in which Sharon might bolt the party much later, close to a date of future elections.
The confrontation between Sharon and Netanyahu is heating up in the countdown to the September 26 Likud meeting in which the Central Committee is to set the date for the primaries, originally slated for April. Landau, who led the intra-party opposition to the prime minister's disengagement plan, vowed Sunday to remain in the contest "to the end."
Political observers believe Sharon is reviewing his options in case he loses his party's backing. If that happens, he would leave Likud and form a new faction.
"Sharon intends to start a new party," the letter read. "Better that he do so now, and not on the eve of elections."
If Sharon is forced to establish a new faction now, the party's support will erode over time, the letter continued, with the Likud retaining Knesset strength as a result.
Sharon off and running Sharon launched his campaign for a third term as prime minister at the weekend.
He took advantage of his visit to New York to meet with donors in the Jewish community and with his good friend and political strategist Reuven Adler, who stopped in New York on his way to Las Vegas.
Landau denied media reports that his relations with Netanyahu had grown tense, and dismissed suggestions that his candidacy could cut into Netanyahu's support and pave the way for a Sharon victory.
"We are certainly acting toward a common goal on the 26th in the elections in the Central Committee, but let there be no doubt, we are running [separately], and I intend to run to the end."
Netanyahu: PM has clearly veered left In his response to Sharon's speech to the United Nations on Thursday, in which he spoke of peace and reconciliation with the Palestinians, Netanyahu said the prime minister "clearly turned to the left."
However, members of the prime minister's entourage in New York emphasized that Sharon believes his position is the true path of the Likud, and that his speech did not signal a break with the party.
Yoram Oren, a businessman who was formerly the Israeli consul in Los Angeles, arranged Sharon's meetings with donors. Oren was the main U.S. fund-raiser for the Likud and Sharon in the past. His activities were investigated in the "straw companies" affair, which led to the prosecution of Sharon's son, MK Omri Sharon.
On Wednesday, Sharon had dinner with his friend Jacques Avital, a New York Jewish leader.
On Friday night, he was invited to dinner by media giant Rupert Murdoch, with whom Sharon has been close for several years. Sharon also scheduled a meeting with Mort Zuckerman, editor-in-chief and publisher of U.S. News and World Report and former chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations.
During his dinner with Murdoch, Sharon said he carried out the Gaza disengagement despite the difficulties, "because that is what's good about the Jewish people." He said he intends to continue with similar measures. "I have a few problems at home, but I think I will solve them," he said. /hasen/objects/pages/PrintArticleEn.jhtml?itemNo=625937 close window [url]http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/625937.html[/url]