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Sharon, absorbing the impact of his defeat in his own party. (AP)
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| By Israel Insider staff and partners March 3, 2005 |
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Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Likud Party voted Thursday for a national referendum that would delay or even derail a pullout from Gaza and part of the West Bank this summer, but the embattled leader ignored the nonbinding resolution and pressed ahead, scheduling a final parliamentary test in two weeks.
Agreeing in advance to the vote, Sharon faced down critics, including his foreign minister and finance minister, who insisted that since Sharon switched from backing settlement expansion to uprooting them, the people should have a say.
"The majority of the people support both the 'disengagement' and a referendum," said Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom. The pullout would man removing veteran settlements from the West Bank and Gaza for the first time. There has never been a referendum in Israel.
Speaking to his raucous central committee, Sharon did not even mention the referendum idea, which he considers a last-ditch delaying tactic. Instead, he referred to parliamentary approval of the pullout last month.
"The decisions of the parliament will be carried out as approved," he declared, drawing boos from the crowd. "I will not allow the extremist margins to dictate our policy," he said. Sharon said the pullout would cement Israel's hold on vital parts of the West Bank, including main settlement blocs.
The Likud convention's action had only symbolic value, because there is a parliamentary majority against a referendum.
However, Sharon has to survive a crucial budget vote to remain in power, and party rebels plan to vote against him. If he fails to pass the budget by March 31, he must resign and call elections -- making the budget the ultimate test of the pullout plan.
On Thursday, Sharon informed the parliament that the final budget vote would take place March 17, giving him two weeks to garner support, probably by passing out special allocations to single-interest parties.
Shalom said a referendum was necessary to prevent a civil war. "I am not proposing a referendum against the prime minister," said Shalom. He said the referendum "is for the sake of national unity" and unity of the Likud party.
Shalom said that there is an overwhelming majority in the country, both for disengagement and for a referendum. "I don't want a referendum against Sharon but a referendum in favor of party unity and easing the rift in the nation," Shalom said.
Netanyahu said a referendum would "calm heated spirits" and said he had "no doubt that a national referendum is the means -- perhaps the only means -- to stop the major internal danger that threatens us."
"Let's admit that the Likud went to the election with a different agenda [than disengagement]," Netanyahu said. "The only way to take such a dramatic and difficult step is by turning directly to the public and letting them decide."
"The disengagement plan may be legal, but it is totally illegitimate from a democratic standpoint," Uzi Landau said. "We have to ask ourselves whether we are a democratic party or whether we are a party that allows one man to make all the decisions."
Dovish opposition parties are seen unlikely to bring down Sharon's government, even over an unpopular austerity budget, if it means stopping the pullout, which they strongly favor.
Sharon blasted party critics of the pullout who intend to vote against the budget. "We can try to persuade each other," he said, "but to work to bring down our government is forbidden."
Sharon completes four years in power next week. A poll commissioned by the Haaretz daily, to be published in full on Friday, shows that large numbers of Israelis believe he is promoting the pullout plan for Israel's good, but they also say Sharon himself is corrupt.
The poll, by the local Dialogue firm, showed that 62 percent believe corruption allegations against Sharon stemming from party financing scandals, though the attorney general has closed all but one of the cases against him.
The AP contributed to this report.
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