ISRAEL: Embattled Israeli Prime Minister Mr Ariel Sharon won an important, if not unexpected, victory yesterday when his cabinet approved compensation for Jewish settlers who will be uprooted as a result of his Gaza withdrawal plan. Peter Hirschberg reports from Jerusalem.
The vote, which was 13-6 in favour, comes as tension is rising - especially inside Mr Sharon's ruling Likud party - on the eve of the far more crucial vote in parliament tomorrow on his entire plan to evacuate the 21 settlements in Gaza and four in the West Bank. Of the six ministers who voted against the compensation plan yesterday, five were from the centre-right Likud.
Mr Sharon is expected to win the vote tomorrow, but he is hoping for a sizeable majority in order to undercut those who oppose his disengagement plan and who are demanding a national referendum on it.
The prime minister, who has strongly opposed a referendum, said the compensation plan "will make things as easy as possible for the settlers who will be evacuated and I am certain that even those who oppose the disengagement plan will not want to make things difficult for the settlers".
A senior aide to Mr Sharon said yesterday that after the vote tomorrow in parliament, which he expects to go the prime minister's way, "we will be in an irreversible process".
That appraisal may be tainted by some wishful thinking. Hardliners within Likud are threatening to leave if the withdrawal plan is passed and another right-wing party is also threatening to leave the ruling coalition.
Both developments could ultimately topple Mr Sharon and lead to new elections - a development that would delay and could derail a Gaza withdrawal.