Sharon hangs on

2005-09-26 22:48

Tel Aviv - Ariel Sharon's Likud Party narrowly rejected a move on Monday to force the Israeli prime minister into a November leadership contest against arch rival Benjamin Netanyahu, according to an exit poll.

Fifty-one percent of members of the rightwing party's central committee voted against the proposition, compared with 49% who called for the primary to be moved forward from April as scheduled, said public television said shortly after polls closed at 22:00.

The television poll, which was conducted among 419 of the 3 050 committee members, has a margin of error of four percent.

Netanyahu, a former prime minister, is hoping to force Sharon into a November leadership contest in a bid to capitalise on resentment within Likud about the recent pull-out of troops and settlers from Gaza.

Sharon furious

The party specifically rejected his signature project in a referendum of all Likud members last year.

Sharon wants to hold off any such ballot until April to allow maximum time for the scars left by his disengagement plan to heal.

Sharon is furious his leadership of the party he helped found is in doubt at a time when his popularity with the public and abroad has never been higher after he oversaw the first pull-out of Jews from occupied Palestinian territory.

The 77-year-old has resisted calls from some Likud power-brokers to declare he will remain in the party, regardless of Monday's vote, fuelling speculation Sharon could take his leave and go it alone within a matter of days.

A potential wilderness

Although surveys have indicated a Sharon-led faction will surpass a Netanyahu-led Likud in general elections, a split would be an extremely high-risk strategy for Sharon.

He is loath to abandon the party machine and cannot be sure of how many of his cabinet will follow him into a potential wilderness.

But the premier has reportedly already sounded out potential recruits such as former Shin Beth security service chief Avi Dichter.

He also has become increasingly frustrated and disillusioned by his party.

- AFP