Israeli ruling party rejects concept of Palestinian state

Associated Press

TEL AVIV, Israel — Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s Likud party voted today to reject the creation of a Palestinian state, a major defeat for Sharon.

The vote, by a show of hands of members of the Likud Central Committee, was overwhelmingly against accepting the eventual creation of a Palestinian state. Sharon had strongly opposed the resolution and had tried to prevent the vote, concerned that it would increase international pressure on Israel and tie his hands diplomatically.

Though the party body does not have the power to remove Sharon from office, the vote showed his political weakness in his own camp and might limit his effectiveness.

Behind the confrontation with Sharon was ex-premier Benjamin Netanyahu, who has announced his plans to challenge Sharon for party leadership and eventually replace him as prime minister.

Only a handful of delegates voted against the Netanyahu-backed resolution, which read, "No Palestinian state will be created west of the Jordan (River)," referring to the area including the West Bank, Israel and the Gaza Strip.

Opposition to a Palestinian state has been the traditional position of the Likud, but Sharon has said that under stringent conditions, he would agree to creation of such a state, at one point calling it "inevitable."

Responding to the vote, Palestinian Cabinet minister Saeb Erekat said it "unmasked many things. This just shows that the war being waged by Israel against the Palestinians is not a war against what they call terror, it’s really their war to maintain the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza." He told The Associated Press that the vote was "a real slap in the face" for President Bush, who has spoken in favor of setting up a Palestinian state.

Instead of the measure opposing a Palestinian state, Sharon asked the convention to approve a resolution backing his government in its efforts for peace and security. In a secret ballot, delegates voted against Sharon’s proposal by a margin of 59 to 41 percent, a stinging defeat for the prime minister.

Looking defiant but uncomfortable, Sharon took the podium and made a brief statement after losing the vote on his resolution. He said he would honor the decisions of his party’s central committee, but added, "I will continue to lead the state of Israel and the people of Israel according to the same ideas that led me always — security for the state of Israel and its citizens and our desire for real peace."

Then Sharon exited the hall, walking behind Netanyahu without looking at him, before the delegates quickly approved the resolution opposing creation of a Palestinian state.

Netanyahu said that the vote showed how the Likud party activists view peacemaking. "In the midst of a terror campaign run by (Palestinian leader Yasser) Arafat, they don’t want to envision a terrorist state which would threaten the destruction of Israel."