Ariel Sharon to Leave Likud Party, Form New Party Amid Re-election Bid

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, a two-time elected leader and founder of the Likud Party, has decided to quit the party and create a new one to try to win re-election. According to Israel's army radio and a senior Likud member, Sharon will announce his decision later on Monday and ask Israel's president to dissolve Parliament and call for an election within 90 days. This move comes amid growing opposition from within the Likud Party over Sharon's unilateral withdrawal from Gaza and four small settlements in the West Bank, which he believes is a necessary step towards defining Israel's borders. Sharon's decision has been accelerated by the recent defeat of his ally, Shimon Peres, in the Labor Party leadership.

Key Takeaways:

• Ariel Sharon, 77, has decided to leave the Likud Party, which he founded, and create a new party to try to win re-election amid growing opposition from within the party.
• Sharon will ask Israel's president, Moshe Katsav, to dissolve Parliament and call for an election within 90 days, potentially resulting in a vote in early March.
• The new party, likely to be led by Sharon, is expected to attract prominent members of Likud, including Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, and potentially some outside security experts and Labor figures.
• Sharon's decision has been accelerated by the recent defeat of his ally, Shimon Peres, in the Labor Party leadership, and growing opposition from within the Likud Party over his unilateral withdrawal from Gaza.
• Sharon has been a two-time elected leader, serving as prime minister in 2001 and 2003, and has been accused of being arrogant and impetuous, but is also regarded by many Israelis as a leader of vision and stature.
• Early polls show that a new party led by Sharon would win approximately 28 seats of the 120-seat Parliament, but would need to form a coalition with other parties to govern.

Statistics:

• 28 seats: estimated number of seats a new party led by Sharon would win in the next election.
• 40 seats: current number of seats held by Likud in the Parliament.
• 9 days: time frame within which Israel's president, Moshe Katsav, is required to dissolve Parliament and call for an election if Sharon's request is accepted.
• 90 days: minimum time frame within which elections must take place under Israeli law.
• 120 seats: total number of seats in the Israeli Parliament.

Sources:

• Israel's army radio
• A senior Likud member, as quoted in the article
• Yediot Aharonot newspaper
• European Union statement on dispatching a monitoring mission to help the Palestinians run the Rafah border crossing with Egypt