Jerusalem, May 01: Prime Minister Ariel Sharon warned today that rejection of his Gaza Strip withdrawal plan could force early elections and said he would push ahead with the proposal regardless of the outcome of a vote in his Likud Party. Polls forecast a Sharon defeat in Sunday's referendum among 193,000 party members.

Sharon made a final effort today to narrow the gap, granting rare interviews to three Israeli TV networks, writing a newspaper commentary and labeling opponents as ``extreme right.''

Sharon said that it would be ``difficult'' for Likud to remain the ruling party if party members reject his plan to withdraw from all Gaza Strip settlements and four West Bank enclaves.
“I feel there is a great danger that we will be dragged into elections, as a result of which the Likud could be pushed out of power,'' Sharon said on a private television channel.

He also told the channel that he is determined to bring peace and security, “and therefore I will fight to try to advance'' the plan.


In recent weeks, supporters of the pullout maintained an edge, but surveys this week including one broadcast on Friday on the channel pointed to a flip-flop.

Bureau Report