The ‘Big Bang’ will echo here--The implosion of Israel's leading party alliance

The implosion of Israel's leading party will have consequences for the U.S. alliance

http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | According to the Israeli media, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon had more on his mind in New York last week than just speaking at the United Nations.

After addressing the world body in Hebrew, Sharon switched to English to schmooze a group of wealthy American Jews, who attended a private event that was a thinly veiled fundraiser for the premier's coming re-election campaign.

As such, the event might generate yet another probe into Sharon's ethics. That's because the alleged $10,000 cover charge for the evening might have exceeded the legal limit of $7,800 that is set for contributions to a party primary campaign.

Such fundraisers held in the United States may appear unseemly, but they are so common as to be unremarkable. The fact that Sharon and his Likud rival, Benjamin Netanyahu, as well as Labor Party leader (and Sharon coalition buddy) Shimon Peres view American Jewry as a vital source of campaign funds is not exactly news.

But what the kerfuffle over Sharon's fundraiser ought to remind us of is that Israel's leading political party may be about to implode.

For all of the focus on the goodwill that disengagement from Gaza has earned Sharon abroad, he has a big problem back home that may be beyond his capacity to solve. And American friends of Israel here ought to think seriously as to how much they want to intervene in the process that is about to unfold.

Sharon and Netanyahu.. Are they just 2 faces on the same coin?

I have been disappointed by the actions of both..
Yet, I am not in their shoes, either..
I don't know about the machinations going on behind the scenes..

Netanyahu was betrayed, badly, by Clinton..
I don't think he will forget that.. A lesson learned?

Sharon has had his "moments" with the current administration as well..
I don't know if he considers some of those actions a betrayal, but I'm fairly sure that he is probably unsatisfied with Bush, Rice, et al..

Sharon had to know.. KNOW.. what would happen when he forced the Gaza withdrawal..
That sounds like it was a "deliberate" move to me..
That he expects certain acts to be executed by the (arabs that call themselves palestinians)...
He expects them to commit atrocities, and acts of war..

But will it be a justification for a severe response?
Will the US and Bush support a retaliation?
Can he hold his coalition together long enough to carry out a response?

And, if "Bebe" takes over the reins of power, how will he respond?
Is it agreed what the response will be, regardless of who is in power?

So many questions...
Such a dirth of answers..

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