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CNN Live Sunday

Sharon Loses Likud Party Vote on Palestinian Statehood

Aired May 12, 2002 - 18:16   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: In Tel Aviv today, Israeli prime minister and the members of his political party Likud debated the concept of the Palestinian state. Before voting in this landmark proposal, Mr. Sharon and his predecessor Benjamin Netanyahu squared off opposing some -- offering some opposing viewpoints. And...

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): ... at the Likud Central Committee meeting in Tel Aviv, where a resounding defeat for Israel's Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. By a vote of 59 percent to 41, he lost the vote where he tried to keep off the agenda a vote on whether the Likud should restate its absolute and adamant opposition to the idea of a Palestinian state.

Fifty-nine percent voted against the prime minister, and then in secret ballot -- and then in open ballot, a show of hands, overwhelmingly the Likud Central Committee voted for that decision, promoted by Mr. Sharon's predecessor, Benjamin Netanyahu, who is clearly a challenger, also, to Mr. Sharon on the personal level, saying that Israel -- that the Likud restates its adamant and absolute opposition to any Palestinian state west of the Jordan River, toward in the West Bank.

And that -- the Israelis are not going to work, said the Likud, for that direction. But Ariel Sharon quite dramatically, having received that defeat, walked out of the meeting even before that vote on the Palestinian state took place.

The implications of this could be absolutely dramatic, both for political and diplomatic efforts of the United States, of Israel's Arab neighbors, of trying to move the Palestinian-Israeli confrontation from the realm of military and armed confrontation to the diplomatic field, because Mr. Sharon now does have his hands tied to some degree.

It is not a binding decision, but he will clearly have to take into account this challenge to his authority, challenge to the policy direction which he seemed to be wanting to set Israel on course, and it is a major advantage for Benjamin Netanyahu, who will now clearly constitute a major challenge as part potential party leader to Ariel Sharon.

Jerrold Kessel, CNN, Tel Aviv. (END VIDEOTAPE)

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