Anti-Sharon forces swell within his own Likud party

At the close of a dramatic day yesterday, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon did manage to push the disengagement plan through, but the front against him within his own faction was swelled by two of his most senior ministers, Benjamin Netanyahu and Limor Livnat, who worked against him openly and at the end of the day gave him an ultimatum: a referendum within 14 days or resignation from the government.

That move could weaken Sharon's government even further, increase opposition to Sharon within his party, and make life difficult for him in continuing to promote the disengagement plan. The threatening conduct of Netanyahu and Livnat, though they folded in the end, ratchets up tension in the Likud. The rebels, though disappointed by the pair's apparent lack of determination in ultimately voting for the plan, see in them substantial reinforcements for opposing Sharon. Netanyahu and Livnat were certainly called "scaredy cats" by their friends in the rebel group who were sure that this time Netanyahu would go all the way. Still the Likud views yesterday's events as a substantial step in weakening Sharon, as well as a step that will allow Netanyahu to position himself ideologically against Sharon in primaries for the party leadership - a scenario that appears close at hand if elections are moved up. Even if Netanyahu and Livnat failed to complete the maneuver yesterday, their action in the face of other Likud ministers - Naveh, Katz, Hanegbi, who considered voting against Sharon - illustrates his plight and the continued erosion of his authority in the faction. Sharon, associates say, will continue to operate in the coming week with the same minority coalition, until the evacuation-compensation bill is brought to a Knesset vote.

The National Religious Party, despite its conduct and ultimatum, remains important to him and plays a key role; without it, he loses the coalition completely and therefore efforts will be made to keep it in the coalition for the next two weeks. Sharon's bureau viewed Netanyahu's and Livnat's action as an attempted putsch. Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom who cooperated with them as a member of the trio before the disengagement plan was approved by the cabinet - which dragged Sharon to compromise - disengaged himself during the day from Livnat and Netanyahu. Shalom, who met with them on Monday at a Jerusalem hotel, told them that he cannot vote against the plan approved by the government.

Ministers Danny Naveh and Yisrael Katz were part of the Netanyahu, Livnat and NRP deal and they had acted in concert. The group was joined by MK Yuval Steinitz. Sharon's bureau had high praise for him yesterday. "He behaved in a statesmanlike fashion. He wants a referendum, but not through a putsch. He went and persuaded, and Bibi and Limor went and persuaded ministers to vote against Sharon. The subversive Bibi struck again."

Regarding the ministers' threat to resign, Sharon's bureau said that "the prime minister does not take threats on television. They proved that they're more extreme than the NRP. The prime minister does not intend to succumb to their pressure. He is against a referendum. In the face of the fierce attack by Netanyahu and Livnat, Sharon will repay Shalom and invite him to meet in his chambers with minister Zevulun Orlev on Thursday.

Another leader-like step Sharon took yesterday was immediately firing the rebel leaders, minister Uzi Landau and deputy minister Michael Ratzon. The two will hold a special press conference this morning and will later hold discussions with the rebel group on continuing the fight against the disengagement plan.

The rebels will continue to oppose Labor's entry into the government, thereby preventing Sharon from assembling a convenient disengagement coalition. Will Sharon go for a referendum? Sharon remains opposed and his people claim there would be no majority for it in the Knesset. The topic will doubtless remain on the agenda in the coming two weeks.

	Uzi Landau