Wednesday, July 06, 2005 17:38 IST
JNW HEADLINE NEWS

Likud election could derail disengagement
By Jerusalem Newswire Editorial Staff

July 6th, 2005

Likud members this week succeeded in garnering more than enough signatures from among their own Central Committee to force the immediate selection of a new leader for Israel's ruling party.

The move could potentially put an end to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's leadership just weeks prior to the implementation of his “disengagement” plan.

Arutz 7 reported Wednesday that a petition calling for early an early Likud election had now gained over 1,000 signatures, 400 more than the number needed to convene the party's legislative body for the purpose of selecting a new leader.

Organizers of the petition were awaiting the return of Finance Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Sharon's primary rival for the party leadership, before presenting the signatures to Central Committee Chairman Tzahi Hanegbi.

Netanyahu departed Tuesday for Uganda to attend a memorial service for his brother, Lt. Col. Yonatan Netanyahu, who led and was killed during the daring 1976 rescue of 250 hostages held by “Palestinian” terrorists at Entebbe Airport.

He was scheduled to return to Israel Wednesday.

Meanwhile, hundreds of Likud Central Committee members attending a rally in Tel Aviv Wednesday evening were expected to urge MK Uzi Landau to challenge both Sharon and Netanyahu for the party leadership.

Landau is the unofficial leader of the so-called Likud “rebels” - those members of the party who remain faithful to its Greater Land of Israel platform.

He was fired from his cabinet position by Sharon for opposing the forced expulsion of Jews from northern Samaria and Gaza.

Reports indicated Landau would hint at his imminent candidacy, but not declare it outright at this time.

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