‘Sharon hasn’t given up on Likud’
Source close to prime minister tells Ynet talk of Likud split, early elections premature, amid reports about proposed name for new Sharon-led party should PM decide to leave ruling party
The day after Sharon’s failure to secure a Knesset majority in support of his three ministerial appointments was characterized by growing talk of inevitable early elections, as well as suggestions that the time has come for a Likud split.
However, a source close to Sharon put a damper on the latest reports in a talk with Ynet. The source characterized the proposed name for a Sharon-led party as idle chatter. Later, the Prime Minister’s Office also flatly denied the reports.
According to the source, Sharon and his associates are still working to ensure the government remains in place until the scheduled elections time, November 2006. The Knesset vote against the PM’s ministerial appointments was blown out of proportion by the media, the source said, adding that “it is clear the prime minister would not go to (early) elections because of this.”
Following Monday’s defeat, Sharon held a separate vote on the appointment of Ehud Olmert as finance minister, but vowed that the two other appointments he was promoting – Ze’ev Boim and Ronnie Bar-On – will still materialize. He also warned his Likud opponents of “expected implications,” leading to renewed talk about early elections.
However, the government is still able to function by law, with the coalition’s next test being the State budget. Meanwhile, Uzi Landau and his fellow Likud ‘rebels’ announced they will support the budget proposal in the first reading but will raise several demands before supporting it again, with an emphasis on the transfer of funds to Gaza evacuees and settlement expansion in the West Bank.
Can Likud rift be healed?
One of Sharon's close associates said he believes it is not too late to bridge the differences within the Likud, have the national budget approved by parliament and remain a unified party until the end of the government's term.
These are, he claimed, the PM's main objectives, and he is not interested in pushing forward the elections or spliting the Likud.
However, Sharon's group of advisors (known as "the ranch forum") has looked into a few possible scenarios in the last few days, in the event of resorting to the "doomsday weapon" - the PM's resignation and subsequent early elections.
Sharon's supporters looked into the likelihood of the PM’s archrival Benjamin Netanyahu eliciting the support of 61 MKs, thus averting early elections and assuming power. The chances of this scenario materializing seem slim, since Bibi would need to obtain the backing of a few of the ministers who openly support the PM's policy.
In the meantime, the possibility for early elections has prompted members of the opposition parties to take action as well.
Ilan Marciano contributed to the story
