ISRAEL: Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon is enjoying a surge in popularity both in the international community and among the Israeli public in the wake of Israel's evacuation of all Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip earlier this week.
But in the one body that could determine his political fate - his ruling Likud party - he has become persona non grata for many.
Polls show that were a leadership run-off to be held today, former finance minister Benjamin Netanyahu would steamroll Mr Sharon. A poll published Wednesday in the daily Haaretz showed Mr Netanyahu winning 47 per cent of support and Mr Sharon only 30.5 per cent among party members.
The more determined the Israeli leader became over the last 18 months to push through his disengagement plan, the more opposition to him mounted inside his party, where the membership ranks are more hardline. For many Likud members, Mr Sharon's decision to ignore the results of a referendum on his Gaza plan inside the party - he lost 60-40 - was unforgivable.
The paradox the prime minister now faces - of strong backing among the general public as opposed to meagre support inside his party - could convince him to seek his political fortunes outside the Likud. Mr Sharon is still insisting that he will not leave the party and will run in the leadership primary. But many of his top aides are increasingly telling him to bolt the Likud and set up a new party.
They do not believe he can beat the more hardline Mr Netanyahu, who resigned in protest over the Gaza withdrawal and has stepped up his verbal attacks on the prime minister in recent days. Even if he does, they say, the party's parliamentary list would be so hawkish it would leave Mr Sharon little room in which to manoeuvre.
Meanwhile, Israel began issuing land expropriation orders this week for the construction of its West Bank separation barrier in the area of the large settlement of Ma'aleh Adumim, near Jerusalem. The fence would jut about 25km into the West Bank at its easternmost point.
Palestinian leaders, who fear Mr Sharon will try to strengthen Israel's hold on the West Bank in the wake of the Gaza withdrawal, say the fence route would make the creation of a viable Palestinian state impossible, as it would severely limit territorial contiguity between the northern and southern West Bank.
The international community, including the United States, has expressed similar concerns.
Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas yesterday accused Israel of a deliberate provocation after troops killed five Palestinians overnight on Wednesday in the West Bank city of Tul Karm. The army said soldiers were conducting an arrest raid of wanted militants.