Sharon under pressure for Gaza referendum

JERUSALEM – Prime Minister Ariel Sharon faced growing pressure yesterday for a referendum on his plan for an Israeli withdrawal from the occupied Gaza Strip and political sources said he had not ruled out the idea completely.

Sharon is struggling to keep his ruling coalition together amid far-right opposition to the plan for evacuating Jewish settlers from Gaza and parts of the West Bank in order to “disengage” from conflict with the Palestinians. Advocates of a referendum say it could ensure political stability and possibly prevent violence, but Sharon spurned an earlier call and his supporters feel it would delay a plan that polls show to have the backing of most Israelis.A key cabinet member from Sharon’s ruling rightist Likud party joined the call for a national vote yesterday and Israeli media said the proposal was also supported by President Moshe Katsav, whose role is largely ceremonial.”At this time, in order to prevent a clash or even, God forbid, civil war, we must go to the people, which means a referendum or elections,” said Education Minister Limor Livnat.”Of course, I would prefer a referendum.”Sharon was yesterday due to meet leaders of the Yesha settler council, the hard core of ultranationalists determined to resist a withdrawal from any land captured by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war and seen by many Jews as a biblical trust.Livnat suggested a referendum could reconcile Sharon with the settlers, who want a popular vote and have been campaigning vigorously against giving up territory.Sharon rebuffed a referendum proposal last month by his Likud arch-rival, Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, vowing that the pullback would go ahead next year as planned.- Nampa-ReutersAdvocates of a referendum say it could ensure political stability and possibly prevent violence, but Sharon spurned an earlier call and his supporters feel it would delay a plan that polls show to have the backing of most Israelis.A key cabinet member from Sharon’s ruling rightist Likud party joined the call for a national vote yesterday and Israeli media said the proposal was also supported by President Moshe Katsav, whose role is largely ceremonial.”At this time, in order to prevent a clash or even, God forbid, civil war, we must go to the people, which means a referendum or elections,” said Education Minister Limor Livnat.”Of course, I would prefer a referendum.”Sharon was yesterday due to meet leaders of the Yesha settler council, the hard core of ultranationalists determined to resist a withdrawal from any land captured by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war and seen by many Jews as a biblical trust.Livnat suggested a referendum could reconcile Sharon with the settlers, who want a popular vote and have been campaigning vigorously against giving up territory.Sharon rebuffed a referendum proposal last month by his Likud arch-rival, Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, vowing that the pullback would go ahead next year as planned.- Nampa-Reuters