Israeli Cabinet Feels Heat on Gaza Proposal

JERUSALEM —  Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon threatened Sunday to reshuffle his Cabinet to win approval for his plan to withdraw Jewish settlements and troops from the Gaza Strip, local media reported.

Sharon made his threat as the Cabinet debated his withdrawal proposal for the first time. The all-day session ended without a vote.

The proposal, defeated by voters from Sharon’s Likud Party four weeks ago, calls for a unilateral pullout of all 21 settlements in the Gaza Strip and four others in the northern West Bank.

Sharon warned that he was prepared to take far-reaching political steps, including dumping ministers who remain opposed to the plan, according to news reports after the closed-door meeting.

Sharon is battling furiously to rescue the proposal -- as well as his political future. Likud’s rank and file overwhelmingly defeated the withdrawal plan in a May 2 vote.

Polls show that the Israeli public strongly favors abandoning the conflict-ridden Gaza Strip, home to 7,500 Jewish settlers and about 1.3 million Palestinians.

Last week, Sharon altered his proposal to call for a four-step pullout, beginning with the evacuation of three settlements in the Gaza Strip. But even that concession, which envisions a complete withdrawal by 2005, has failed to win over enough Likud ministers to ensure a Cabinet victory.

Before Sunday’s meeting, Sharon appeared to be at least one vote shy of majority support on the 23-member Cabinet. Opponents included two ministers each from the National Union and the National Religious Party -- a pair of right-wing parties in the governing coalition. Hard-liners have threatened to bolt from Sharon’s government if the unilateral pullout is approved.

Israeli media reported that the two National Union ministers appeared the most likely to be dismissed -- a move that could guarantee Cabinet approval for the plan.

Sharon criticized Transportation Minister Avigdor Lieberman of the National Union for calling last week for the removal of 90% of Arab citizens of Israel.

The second National Union minister, Tourism Minister Benny Elon, said he had received no hint of a possible dismissal.

“It seems that [Sharon] will create this majority one way or the other by a decision he will make over the coming days,” Roni Milo, a former Likud minister, told Israel Radio.

Justice Minister Tommy Lapid, leader of the centrist Shinui Party, said late Sunday he was attempting to broker a compromise between Sharon and Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a key Likud holdout and a frequent Sharon rival.

The prime minister has accused Netanyahu, in veiled language, of opposing the plan to enhance his own bid to regain Likud’s top position. Netanyahu, who last week said he would agree to the evacuation of only the first three settlements, has countered that he was seeking to preserve Likud unity by abiding by the will of party voters.

During the Cabinet meeting, Sharon said exiting the Gaza Strip would best protect Israel’s security. He warned that Israel risked alienating the U.S. government if it backed away from the full withdrawal proposal. The plan, which also calls for Israel to retain large settlements in the West Bank, won the endorsement of the Bush administration last month, despite harsh criticism from Arab leaders.

“The plan will enable us to guard our national and security interests and will give Israel an outlet from the dangerous political paralysis,” Sharon said. “I know this isn’t an easy and simple step, but we all must show leadership and responsibility and together bring hope to Israel.”

Top national security officials, including the intelligence chief and the army’s chief of staff, offered their support for more extensive withdrawal, but opponents remained unswayed by Sharon’s revisions.

“The prime minister’s new plan is the same old lady wearing the same old coat,” said Agriculture Minister Yisrael Katz, a Likud member.