Free Republic

Polls closed at 10 p.m. in the Likud central committee vote that took place at the Tel Aviv Fairgrounds in one of the most important decisions the party has ever faced. Both sides said they won by a small margin, while an Israel Radio poll of 419 committee members proved inconclusive, with a result of 51 to 49 percent for Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, but with a 5% margin of error. For in-depth coverage of Likud leadership rivalries - Special Report: Battle for the Likud >>A day after the mayhem in Sunday's Likud central committee meeting, which included the sabotageof...

Dec. 9, 2004 1:16 | Updated Dec. 9, 2004 22:58 Early results: Likud endorses national-unity government By GIL HOFFMAN Prime Minister Ariel Sharon casts his ballot at the Likud party meeting in Tel Aviv. Sharon is seeking his party's approval to include Labor in the government Photo: AP With most of the results in by 11 p.m. Thursday night, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon received a big political boost when the Likud central committee voted 65 percent to 35 percent to authorize him to begin negotiations on a national-unity government with Labor and haredi parties. Sharon, who received election returns on...