Posted on 11/16/2005 10:45:43 AM PST by anotherview
Nov. 16, 2005 8:24 | Updated Nov. 16, 2005 19:39
New poll finds Sharon has 30% lead over Netanyahu
By GIL HOFFMAN AND JPOST STAFF
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon at Sunday's cabinet meeting.
Photo: Ariel Jerozolimski
If Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is considering whether to split the Likud and form a new party, he may want to draw his attention to a recent poll that found that he would defeat his main challenger, MK Binyamin Netanyahu, by over 30 percent.
The poll, which was commissioned by Channel 10 and conducted among Likud voters, found that nearly 49% would vote for Sharon, while only 19.4% would support Netanyahu. Rebel leader Uzi Landau received 11.7% of the vote.
Meanwhile in Wednesday's Likud faction meeting in the Knesset, Sharon said that he was unimpressed with the fervent calls for party unity from his political opponents.
Likud MKs, who have been rebelling against Sharon for more than two years, took turns giving speeches about the need for unity in the party to defeat newly elected Labor Chairman Amir Peretz. But Sharon told his associates that he expects the show of unity to end immediately after the election.
"Let's not lie to ourselves," Sharon said. "No one in the faction has changed their mind about anything because of this meeting."
Sharon's associates shrugged off the calls for harmony within the party saying that they "hadn't seen such an atmosphere of hypocrisy in the faction in a while" and that the Likud was still "far away from reconciliation." Sharon loyalist MK Roni Bar-On left the meeting early, saying that the unity speeches by Likud rebels "made me need a barf bag."
In a typical statement from the meeting, Likud rebel MK Michael Ratzon said, "There is a time for everything - a time to argue and a time to unite. This is a time to emphasize what we have in common instead of our differences and move forward together."
Many Likud MKs left the meeting upset that Sharon did not use the occasion to announce whether he intended to remain in the Likud. Sharon's associates said that he would not make a decision until next week when his advisers receive the results of polls and market research focus groups.
Internal Security Minister Gideon Ezra and Knesset Law Committee chairman Michael Eitan told Sharon in the meeting that it was unacceptable that he had not yet announced his decision. Netanyahu said without mentioning Sharon that "whoever loses the race will have to accept the democratic decision."
Vice Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said that he was against a proposal in the Likud central committee to reserve the second slot on the Likud list for Netanyahu in return for him quitting the race. "We have to stop this crybaby approach of saving Bibi," he said. "Bibi is a big boy and he can run by himself."
Landau said in the meeting that the Likud should unite around its principles and ideology instead of around the prime minister. He said that there should be primaries and that he would be a candidate, but that "no matter who wins, I will stand behind the victor."
Ezra retorted bluntly, "You know you're going to lose, right, so why are you still running?"
At the end of the meeting, the faction unanimously passed a statement saying that "the faction sees the breakup of the national-unity government as an irresponsible move by Labor and its chairman. The Likud will unite against the extremist policies of Amir Peretz that endanger Israel and the economy. We will win the election and continue to lead the country.
All the more reason for Netanyahu, IMO.
Others might explain it better, but it appears the electorate prefers Sharon. I'm a supporter of unilateral withdrawl, clearly that includes Gaza, though I don't like the way it was handled at all. Clearly that wasn't what Sharon ran on in the last election. Would Bibi have been different, maybe, but as I recall he seemed to be more vocal at the end of the process than it's beginning. And Bibi obviously was a supporter of Oslo. I've no reason to doubt the love of country of either, They have the kind of accomplishments in the defence of their country our founders did. And they're both politicians. Bibi can afford to wait.
its oh most to late Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood said it had won 34 seats in the first phase of legislative elections, a major advance for the banned but tolerated Islamist group.
Thank you. I am still rather stunned to learn Netanyahu isn't as popular as I desire or imagined. He's such a GOOD man.
Do you mean it's "almost too late?"
how many Muslim vote in Israel elections now ?
thank
Thank you for the information.
I am still trying to understand why Netanyahu isn't the overwhelming choice.
Don't know. A little less than 20% of the population. They're educated, work for a living, and participate in society so I'd guess that's around the vote.
Any adult citizen of Israel who happens to be a Muslim may vote. That includes any Muslim living in the pre-1967 borders plus any Muslim living in territory Israel annexed since then (Golan, eastern Jerusalem) who has chosen to take Israeli citizenship. Many Jerusalem Arabs haven't chosen to do so and have permanent resident status instead. They have no vote.
Currently Israel's population is 5.3 million Jews and about 1 million Muslim Arabs. I can't tell you what percentage of each group is of voting age without doing a little quick research. Considering the only reason I'm on at this hour is insomnia this isn't the best time for me to do that.
You keep saying that. What in the world do you base that statement on????
You keep saying that.
I have said it ONCE.
Bibi also voted for disengagement repeatedly. Then he voted against it. Does this sound familiar in American political terms?
Put simply: Many Israelis do not trust Bibi. His politics change with whatever he thinks will help him gain power at the moment. Ariel Sharon, by contrast, has his history as a General, a man who has fought in all our wars. People trust him not to give too much in the end. People trust his judgement.
There is another factor. Prime Minister Sharon gave Likud it's biggest election victory every. Likud has never had 40 seats in the Knesset before. Netanyahu gave Likud it's biggest election defeat ever, dropping the party to just 19 seats in the previous election. Likud members want to win and Sharon is a big winner in two consecutive elections. Many Likud ministers and MKs will gladly set aside their views to insure they keep their jobs. They are politicians, after all.
My apologies. You can cope both said it. You still haven't explained how you come to that conclusion. Is it because he's handsome? Speaks eloquently? Because of his performance as Prime Minister from 1996 to 1999? Why?
A major difference in the systems, that isn't appreciated when looking in from here. We vote for Bush or Kerry, you vote for "Republican" or "Democrat" or a multitude of alternatives who, rather than representing "wasted votes", may wield some level of influence.
You're giving me "anotherview" of Netanyahu and it's one that's new to me.
I've always liked him and admired his firm stand on terrorism. No nonsense and no minced words. I like Sharon too --- were I an Israeli, I KNOW I'd belong to the Likud Party. :)
meant ot inclued you in the last post
Thank you. Much appreciated. I am getting a good education today, which is one reason FR is so wonderful.
I am Israeli and I am a Likud member. I think any of the current candidates for party leadership are strong in their stand against terrorism.
Can someone enlighten me as to how this agreement benefits Israel at all? The only concessions that are being made in this "Peace" process are being made by Israel. Why the hell do we continue down this path of appeasement of the Terrorist-inians? I am a Christian supporter of Israel and am truly dumbfounded by some of these policies. THe only conclusion I can even come close to buying is that when the Terroristinians fail, yet again, to reign in their armed groups and start becoming productive in this process, that the US and Israel can justify backing out of the process saying that they have done all they could and that the Arab League needs to take these refugees back.
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