Posted on 03/30/2004 3:24:46 PM PST by anotherview
Likud vote on disengagement plan to be binding
Party's central committee approves PM's proposal to hold survey. 200,000 Likud members eligible to vote.
Yifat Zohar and Menachem Rahat
"All Likud representatives, me included, will be bound by the results of the survey among all Likud Members", said Prime Minister Ariel Sharon at the Likud convention this evening (Tuesday). Sharon has committed himself to holding a survey on his disengagement plan among the 200,000 Likud party members.
"The Prime Minister holds the ultimate responsibility, but critical decisions of this nature should be brought to a democratic vote", said Sharon. He added: "That is why I decided to accept the proposal submitted by Agriculture Minister, Yisrael Katz, and hold a survey among all Likud members, who will have to decide in favor or against the plan I will present".
The Likud Central Committee has accepted the proposal to hold a vote on the disengagement plan among Likud members. Anyone who has joined the Likud party and paid membership dues before March 20th will be eligible to take part in the survey. The vote will take place no later than three weeks after the Prime Minister turns to the Likud central elections committee chairman and asks him to bring the plan to a vote.
Some members of the Likud Center were infuriated by Sharon’s declaration and tied it to Maariv Online’s exclusive regarding an agreement that was reached with the Labor party to form a national unity government if and when the right-wing parties leave the government.
“Sharon is dancing on two weddings, so to speak", Likud Center member Uzi Cohen said. “On the one hand he talks with the Labor party regarding a national unity government and on the other, he says he will pass the disengagement plan by the Likud members so he would be able to keep the right-wing parties in his government”.
Another Likud Center member, Shlomo Madmon, said, “It would be a mistake, it seems that Sharon wants to reduce the power of the Likud Center”.
However, some members welcomed the prime minister’s announcement. Itzik Regev, a senior Center member said, “If today the public atmosphere and polls indicate the people want disengagement, we should listen. If there is no [Palestinian] partner, someone needs to make a move, and that as always is Ariel Sharon.”
Many politicians are also waiting to see if Sharon would relate in his speech tonight to State Prosecutor Edna Arbel’s recommendation to indict him. However, the PM’s close associates estimated he would not relate to personal issues and settle for a relatively short address which would mainly consist of greetings for the upcoming Passover festival.
Meanwhile, an agreement is nearing between the US and Israel regarding Finance Minister Netanyahu’s conditions for supporting the disengagement plan. During contacts between officials from both countries, it was agreed that at least two out of the three conditions would be adopted by the Americans.
Netanyahu’s first condition is that the counter-terrorism barrier would encircle a major part of the large settlement blocs in the territories. The second one is that the US would issue a statement denying the Palestinians’ right of return. However, the Americans have yet to agree on the condition by which Israel would control all the Palestinian land, sea and air
(2004-03-30 20:23:50.0)
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