Stunning Victory for Gush Katif and Nationalist Camp

Israel National News ^ | 22:21 May 02, '04 / 11 Iyar 5764

[yonif]

A moderate voter turnout in the Likud - but the victory of the opponents of the unilateral evacuation/expulsion plan was sweeping. The Channel One television prediction, based on exit polls and other information, indicates that the Prime Minister's plan was defeated by a staggering 62%-38% vote.

Another prediction states that the margin is 58-59% against, 41-42%. Channel Two: 56%-44%.

MK Ehud Yatom of the Likud, an opponent of the plan, said that despite the wide victory, "Prime Minister Sharon must continue to lead the government." Yatom's party colleague MK Gila Gamliel said the same.

Minister Gideon Ezra, who supports the plan, "The question is what to do tomorrow. This is not a simple question." Ezra said that the residents of Gush Katif were the driving force behind the plan's defeat.

Justice Minister Tommy Lapid (Shinui) was critical of the results, saying that the Likud is becoming an "extremist right-wing" party and is losing the public, and that a a great gap is opening in the country.

Binyamin Ben-Eliezer of the Labor Party said he was surprised by the extent of the margin of victory.

The big winner in this election was Minister Uzi Landau, who was the most outspoken leader of the anti-retreat camp, while the big loser was Vice Prime Minister Ehud Olmert - who promoted the plan even more strongly than Sharon himself. Both Olmert and Omri Sharon, the Prime Minister's son, were booed and even attacked by Likud activists during the course of today.

Commentator Chanan Crystal said that Sharon may take out his anger on Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, who did not actively support the plan.

[jocon307]

This is all a little "inside baseball" for me. But I think what Isreal should do is just fortify whatever borders it thinks it should have. Expell whom it pleases. And hunker down in Buchannanite isolationism.

Scr*w the palis, that story about the murdered mom and 4 daughters has done it for me. If I ran israel I would stop, RIGHT NOW, trying to make peace with these so-called people. I would shut them out and shut them down. And then go on from there.

And, if I ran the US, I would back Israel up on this.

But then again, I don't run anything. As my mother once told me: that's why you're not the Cardinal (of NY).

[ScaniaBoy]

Commentator Chanan Crystal said that Sharon may take out his anger on Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, who did not actively support the plan.

Now why would Sharon do a thing like that? (/sarcasm)

Seriously though I think we may soon see Netanyahu as new leader for Likud. (Good!)

[WaterDragon]

The 'victory' referred to in the headline is to the results of a poll, not the actual voting results?

[yonif]

Israeli media report defeat of Gaza and northern "West Bank" retreat plan. Sharon has already acknowledged these results.

[WaterDragon]

Thank you. How do you feel about the report, yonif?

[yonif]

Good news.

[WaterDragon]

Great, then!

[goldstategop]

The forces in favor of a hard-line campaign against terror have been strengthened inside the Likud. Its too early to say if Israel has turned a corner in leaving the Oslo debacle behind it but time will tell.