Journalist David Bedein, head of the Center for Near East Policy Research, warned on Tuesday that if Gilad Sharon, son of former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, goes ahead with his plans to run for the Knesset with the Likud, the move could ultimately hurt the party.

“People have not forgotten that Gilad Sharon was one of the five people in what was called the ‘Farm Forum’ – those people who made every decision about what was going to happen in terms of the expulsion of the Jewish communities of Gush Katif and the northern Shomron, and the retreat of the army,” Bedein told Arutz Sheva.

“The Knesset’s Internal Affairs Committee ordered to investigate the conflict of interest between people who were investing in the Arab sector of Judea and Samaria and were also expelling people. It was the same men,” he added. “That investigation has never taken place because there was no pressure to do so.”

If Gilad Sharon returns to the Likud, said Bedein, “There will be great pressure on the Knesset to finally carry out that investigation.”

“If Gilad Sharon comes back to the Likud, the Likud will reassume its negative position in Israeli public relations,” he continued. “Remember that after the expulsion, Likud was disgraced and only won 12 seats in the following election.”

Sharon announced in May that he decided to join the Likud party and may run for the Knesset.

Sharon's father Ariel Sharon - who died in 2014 after eight years in a vegetative state following a stroke - broke off from Likud to form the Kadima party and ram through the 2005 Disengagement plan, expelling all Jews from Gush Katif in Gaza.

As recently as last July Gilad Sharon defended the Disengagement as a success, despite the fact that it led to Hamas taking over Gaza in 2007 and launching three terror wars on Israel.