Sharon quits Likud and calls election

[Gabbal]

Sharon quits Likud and calls election

By Sharmila Devi andHarvey Morris in Jerusalem

Published: November 22 2005 02:00 | Last updated: November 22 2005 02:00

 

Ariel Sharon, prime minister, yesterday staked his future leadership of Israel on quitting the Likud party he helped to found and forming a new centrist party to fight early elections next year.

 

 

His move came after the Labour party, under a new leftwing leader, left the governing coalition and Mr Sharon was faced with either trying to face down rightwing rebels in Likud or seeking a new mandate.

 

Mr Sharon yesterday asked President Moshe Katsav to dissolve parliament, paving the way for an general election in March and a dramatic realignment of Israeli politics.

 

By the time he formally announced last night the creation of what he described as a new "liberal movement for Israel", Mr Sharon had already secured the support of at least 13 out of 39 other Likud parliamentarians. Israeli media said a number of academics and a former intelligence chief were among others who planned to join.

 

Mr Sharon said Likud in its present format was "unable to lead Israel to its national goals". He said he had been confident of leading the party to a third election victory but had decided to put the good of the state above "comfortable personal interests".

 

He said he would pursue a peace settlement that would see the dismantling of terrorist organisations and the fixing of Israel's permanent borders in line with the international "road map" towards a two-state solution. In a final peace accord, he conceded, some West Bank settlements would go.

 

Mr Sharon was trying to sign up Shimon Peres, the former Labour leader recently ousted by Amir Peretz, a union leader. Mr Sharon, 77, told Mr Peres, 82, at the weekend that they would work together in the future. Mr Sharon will remain prime minister until the elections, which are to be hotly contested by his new party and Likud and Labour under new leaderships. Benjamin Netanyahu, former finance minister, is the prime contender to lead Likud while Mr Peretz is expected to take Labour further to the left.

 

By quitting Likud, Mr Sharon avoided a party leadership challenge from Mr Netanyahu before the next elections. Rightwing opposition to Mr Sharon centred on his withdrawal of Jewish settlers from the Gaza Strip earlier this year, but yesterday he gave no sign of a softer line towards the Palestinians. A spokesman said there were no new peace initiatives or plans for further withdrawals from the occupied Palestinian territories. These are steps that would help to bring Labour and other leftwing parties into any future coalition with Mr Sharon.

 

The Palestinian Authority also faces a period of political uncertainty, with legislative elections due in January. Nabil Shaath, deputy prime minister, said yesterday the Palestinians were "watching carefully the unfolding political developments to see their consequences on the peace process".