Prime Minister Sharon\'s statements two days ago to the Teachers Union in favor of a Palestinian state continue to arouse opposition within the nationalist camp. Moshe Feiglin, who hopes to run against both Sharon and Binyamin Netanyahu for Likud party leader whenever elections are next called, says that Sharon should be thrown out of the party. Feiglin told the internal party court that Sharon\'s statements go against the party constitution. Minister Tzachi Hanegbi similarly said that they are totally against the Likud platform. Likud members have begun gathering signatures in support of convening the party\'s Central Committee, in the hope that a majority will demand that Sharon retract the statement.
Deputy Minister Naomi Blumental has asked that the Likud Knesset faction convene in order to hear Sharon\'s explanation. \"I was stunned by his remarks,\" she told Arutz-7 today, \"for no forum in the Likud ever made a decision in favor of such a thing. Beyond the technical aspects, however, I have received dozens of calls from people who are fuming over Sharon\'s statement... I hope that we will not be the ones to give a green light to the establishment of a terrorist state adjacent to us.\"
Grassroots organizations have also reacted strongly to the Prime Minister\'s statement. Cities of Israel (Mattot Arim), which operates in various Israeli cities in support of the Jewish communities in Judea, Samaria, and Gaza, released a statement condemning Sharon\'s offer of another Arab state. The groups called on the residents of Israel\'s Coastal Plain, \"in which 70% of Israel\'s population resides,\" to recognize the danger inherent in a Palestinian state so close to their homes. In addition, Dr. Ron Breiman of Professors for a Strong Israel called on Sharon to \"return to Zionism.\"
Arutz-7 correspondent Kobi Sela reports that Sharon himself, in a closed forum last night, said that his statement about the Palestinian state has no practical significance \"because Arafat will never call off the violence,\" and that it was uttered for diplomatic purposes.
The Yesha Council has embarked upon a public campaign against Prime Minister Sharon\'s continued military restraint, as well as his offer of a state to the Palestinians. Council members are nearly unanimous in the opinion that \"it\'s time to take off the gloves, to strongly criticize Sharon, and to demand that he get rid of Arafat.\" Council spokesman Yehoshua Mor-Yosef told Arutz-7 today, \"We are becoming more and more concerned that a Prime Minister that did not respond to the terrible Dolphinarium attack, and who missed the great opportunity to strike at Arafat in the wake of the World Trade Center attack, will in fact not take action against the terrorists unless massive political pressure is brought to bear upon him. We are concerned that he is adopting the diplomatic positions of Shimon Peres...\"
Deputy Minister Naomi Blumental has asked that the Likud Knesset faction convene in order to hear Sharon\'s explanation. \"I was stunned by his remarks,\" she told Arutz-7 today, \"for no forum in the Likud ever made a decision in favor of such a thing. Beyond the technical aspects, however, I have received dozens of calls from people who are fuming over Sharon\'s statement... I hope that we will not be the ones to give a green light to the establishment of a terrorist state adjacent to us.\"
Grassroots organizations have also reacted strongly to the Prime Minister\'s statement. Cities of Israel (Mattot Arim), which operates in various Israeli cities in support of the Jewish communities in Judea, Samaria, and Gaza, released a statement condemning Sharon\'s offer of another Arab state. The groups called on the residents of Israel\'s Coastal Plain, \"in which 70% of Israel\'s population resides,\" to recognize the danger inherent in a Palestinian state so close to their homes. In addition, Dr. Ron Breiman of Professors for a Strong Israel called on Sharon to \"return to Zionism.\"
Arutz-7 correspondent Kobi Sela reports that Sharon himself, in a closed forum last night, said that his statement about the Palestinian state has no practical significance \"because Arafat will never call off the violence,\" and that it was uttered for diplomatic purposes.
The Yesha Council has embarked upon a public campaign against Prime Minister Sharon\'s continued military restraint, as well as his offer of a state to the Palestinians. Council members are nearly unanimous in the opinion that \"it\'s time to take off the gloves, to strongly criticize Sharon, and to demand that he get rid of Arafat.\" Council spokesman Yehoshua Mor-Yosef told Arutz-7 today, \"We are becoming more and more concerned that a Prime Minister that did not respond to the terrible Dolphinarium attack, and who missed the great opportunity to strike at Arafat in the wake of the World Trade Center attack, will in fact not take action against the terrorists unless massive political pressure is brought to bear upon him. We are concerned that he is adopting the diplomatic positions of Shimon Peres...\"