Sharon says defeat in Gaza referendum could lead to a general election

[CShine]

Ariel Sharon yesterday launched a final effort to win Sunday's Likud referendum on his Gaza disengagement plan by warning that a defeat could lead to a general election.

Faced with polls predicting victory for opponents of the plan in the referendum of 193,000 party members, the Israeli Prime Minister told Channel Two: "If the disengagement plan is not approved, I believe it will lead to new elections, which would be bad for Israel and utterly superfluous, considering our economic situation."

And Israel Radio said increasingly concerned US officials were threatening to rescind the controversial concessions made by President George Bush to the Israeli Prime Minister in mid-April if the party's members voted to reject the plan.

Most polls suggest that despite predictions to the contrary, a majority of Likud members have not been swayed by the US President's acceptance that large settlement blocs could remain in Israeli hands in a final peace deal with the Palestinians ­ and that there should be no right of return by Palestinian refugees to Israel. The radio report said that Danny Ayalon, Mr Sharon's ambassador to Washington, had warned him that the administration would not understand if the plan was rejected after concessions which were widely condemned in the Arab world.

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/story.jsp?story=517046

[The Magistrate]

1. New Elections In Israel, Sir

Might prove a beneficial consequence to this....

[bemildred]

2. Yeah, promises, promises ... nt

[The Magistrate]

5. It Would Seem A Roll Of The Dice, Sir

They can fall oddly. This would be an oddly timed election, that no one was quite prepared for, and taking place amid some unusual atmospherics....

[Classical_Liberal]

4. I've heard Netenyahu is the only one waiting in the wings if

Sharon goes down.

[madrchsod]

3. maybe god will

interviene and tell sharon to step on down into the firey pit..