Sharon faces police quiz over bribery claims

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon today faced police interrogation in a bribery case that could force his resignation, and critics charged that his far-reaching plan to remove Jewish settlements from the Gaza Strip was meant to deflect attention from the scandal.

Sharon has accepted a challenge from opponents in his own party and agreed to put his plan before the people in a referendum.

Removal of authorised settlements in the West Bank and Gaza, as well as such a referendum, would be firsts in Israel.

It would also be a first if a prime minister is indicted – a distinct possibility after a close colleague, real estate developer David Appel, was formally charged with bribing Sharon.

Police were to arrive at Sharon’s official Jerusalem residence today for what media reports said would be a short, final interrogation before the state attorney begins examining the material towards a decision about an indictment.

Under Israeli law, a person can be convicted of accepting a bribe only if criminal intent can be proved, allowing for a case where a person is charged for giving a bribe, but the recipient is not indicted.

Many politicians and analysts linked the scandal with Sharon’s emerging plan for unilateral disengagement from the Palestinians if peace talks fail, including imposing a boundary on the West Bank and removing settlements.

“The depth of the inquiry is the depth of the evacuation,” Gaza resident Zvi Hendel, a lawmaker from the pro-settlement National Union and a deputy minister in Sharon’s Cabinet, said.

Until he began speaking in relatively dovish terms a few months ago, Sharon had been the leader of the nationalist camp that promoted construction and expansion of settlements.

Hawkish colleagues in his Likud Party feel betrayed. Ten Likud members of parliament signed a letter pledging to oppose his plan to take down settlements, and others demanded that he put the programme to a referendum.

Sharon said he was determined to implement his plan if peace talks remain stalled, and he would call elections if necessary.

The moderate opposition Labour Party pledged its support for Sharon’s moves, leading to speculation about reconstitution of the Likud-Labour unity government of Sharon’s first term as premier. However, there was significant opposition in both parties to such a partnership.

Peace efforts took another blow yesterday when aides to Sharon and Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia failed again to set a date for their first summit.