Jerusalem, Nov 29: Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon beat foreign minister Benjamin Netanyahu for control of the Likud Party.
Though the elections were primary marred by a shooting spree on a polling station in Israel and twin attacks on Israeli tourists in kenya, television projections showed.
Projections on Israel TV showed Sharon with 61 per cent of the vote, compared to 37 per cent for Netanyahu. A lesser-known challenger, Moshe Feiglin, had the rest. Two other television projections showed similar results.
Sharon will now face the Labour Party`s Dovish former general, Amram Mitzna, in jan. 28 general elections, which polls predict Likud will win thanks to the Israeli public`s shift to the right following two years of Israeli-Palestinian fighting.
Today`s election was marred by a shooting attack in the northern Israeli town of Beit Shean, in which two Palestinian gunmen fired on a Likud office crowded with Israelis casting their votes. Six people were killed and dozens wounded before the gunmen were shot dead.
The al Aqsa martyrs` brigade, linked to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat`s Fatah movement, claimed responsibility.
Earlier in the day, in near simultaneous attacks, three suicide bombers killed three Israelis and nine Kenyans at an Israeli-owned seaside hotel north of Mombasa, Kenya, and assailants fired two missiles at a chartered airliner carrying Israeli tourists home from a beach holiday. No one on board was injured and the plane landed safely at Israel`s Ben Gurion airport. Bureau Report