Sharon Says He Won’t Give Up on Withdrawal Plan Despite Vote

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon insisted Thursday that he would press efforts to pull out of the Gaza Strip despite a vote by his Likud Party against bringing the Labor Party into the ruling coalition to ensure support for the withdrawal.

Likud opponents of the proposed withdrawal, trying to tie Sharon’s hands, voted against the coalition plan 60% to 40% -- the same margin by which Likud members opposed the Gaza pullout in a May 2 party referendum.

Sharon ignored the referendum results and rammed the plan through his Cabinet by firing ministers from a pro-settler party and watching two others resign, losing his parliamentary majority.

On Thursday, after the coalition slap, Sharon remained defiant. “The prime minister is determined to continue with the disengagement plan and the diplomatic process and he will try to build a stable coalition,” a statement from his office said.

Labor leader Shimon Peres called for elections but pledged that Labor would back Sharon’s pullout plan.

Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat, meanwhile, also has tangled with followers amid complaints about the lack of reform in his government.

In a speech Wednesday to the Palestinian parliament, Arafat acknowledged “mistakes” and pledged to clean up the Palestinian Authority. But then he refused to sign reform legislation passed by the Palestinian Legislative Council.

In a “stormy and tense” follow-up meeting Wednesday, Arafat told pro-reform lawmakers “that his speech ... was enough and that there is no need for any signatures,” said Azmi Shuaybi, a meeting participant.

Although Arafat does not appear to be in danger of being overthrown, public criticism is at a high level.

The political struggles played out against a backdrop of violence.

Israeli soldiers shot and killed an 18-year-old Palestinian in the southern Gaza town of Rafah, witnesses and hospital officials said.

Also, Palestinian militants fired five homemade rockets from the Gaza Strip at the Israeli town of Sderot, slightly wounding a 10-year-old boy, Israeli rescue workers said.

After dark Thursday, Palestinians fired a rocket into the Jewish settlement of Neve Dekelim in Gaza, settlers said. The rocket hit a house, but no one was injured.