Sharon may ignore 'no' vote on Gaza

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and his allies sent conflicting signals today over whether they would honour a Likud Party referendum on a withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, as a new poll showed opponents and supporters are virtually tied.

In introducing the idea of a Likud referendum last month, Sharon said he would be bound by the May 2 vote among 200,000 party members.

However, in a speech to parliament today he hinted that he would push forward with the withdrawal plan even if he loses the referendum.

“The commitment we took upon ourselves, the members of the Likud and myself, to act according to the results of the referendum, is a public and moral duty, not a legal or binding duty,” Sharon said.

Vice Premier Ehud Olmert, a Sharon confidante and a strong proponent of the plan, said a withdrawal was inevitable.

“The train has left the station and it won’t stop until the last stop,” Olmert said, further fuelling speculation that Sharon might ignore a “no” vote.

However, Sharon spokesman Asaf Shariv said that “if the plan dies in the Likud, it dies completely”.

The parliamentary debate over the Gaza withdrawal came amid new fighting in the area.

Early today, the Israeli military completed its latest operation in Gaza, in which 10 Palestinians, including four civilians, were killed. They included a 16-year-old boy shot dead today after youths threw rocks at retreating troops.

Troops also killed three Palestinian gunmen near the West Bank town of Tulkarem. In all, 17 Palestinians have been killed since Tuesday.

Fighting has intensified in Gaza since Sharon announced his pullout plan in February. Both sides try to make the withdrawal look like a victory.

Sharon’s “disengagement” plan also includes withdrawal from four small West Bank settlements, completion of a West Bank separation barrier, and expansion of five large blocs of West Bank settlements. The plan is to be carried out by the end of 2005.

Sharon had appeared to be gaining support for his plan in recent days, winning support from US President George Bush and several key Cabinet ministers. Israel’s assassination of Hamas’ leader in Gaza, Abdel Aziz Rantisi, last weekend seemed to deliver an additional boost.

But the poll published today in the Haaretz newspaper showed the race may be too close to call.

According to the survey, 44% of Likud members said they would vote in favour, and 40% said they would vote against.

In the West Bank, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat today expelled 20 militants wanted by Israel from his headquarters, apparently fearing Israeli troops would raid the compound if he did not take action. Israel has long demanded that the militants leave Arafat’s headquarters.

Palestinian security officials said Israel had delivered a message last week threatening to invade the compound if the fugitives did not leave. The Israeli military had no comment.

The fugitives, members of the Al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigade, an armed group linked to Arafat’s Fatah faction, have been hiding from the Israeli army in the compound for months.

Arafat said only one fugitive – a militant paralysed in fighting with Israel two years ago – remained inside. “There is nobody but one who was injured since the tremendous attack on us, and he’s paralysed,” he said.