Sharon rallies support for evacuation plan
"Mr Sharon has met today with (foreign minister) Silvan Shalom and should meet in the days to come with other Likud ministers to explain the principles” behind his disengagement plan, said Assaf Shariv.
Hard-right members of Sharon’s governing coalition have threatened to quit in protest at his plans to pull Jewish settlers out of most of Gaza as part of a package of unilateral measures intended to make up for the lack of progress in the Middle East peace process. Mr Shalom is understood to be opposed to the Gaza pullout on the grounds that it would encourage Palestinian attacks, but his portfolio would be particularly vulnerable if the opposition Labour party replaced hardliners in the coalition.
