Not all of those who voted against Sharon last night object to his disengagement plan. MK Michael Eitan, for instance, in his speech to the convention last night, said,
"I can support your [Sharon's] diplomatic position with the knowledge that this is being done out of lack of choice, like an operation to save whatever is possible - [if it is] done to save the settlement enterprise and then we can continue to struggle and fight against terrorism. But not if you lead us in the opposite direction...
"You have always acted like a bulldozer - in the Yom Kippur War, and in your fight against our enemies from the 1950's until today, and in absorbing Aliyah [immigration], and in housing, and in much more, always acting against the grain [for the good of the country]. But today, don't act like a bulldozer - don't run over the settlers and the residents of Yesha, and don't run us down as well as the Likud movement. Have patience, and it will be for the good of the Likud, the country, and the Jewish People."
MK Eitan continued,
"The idea of including Labor in the government is not necessary in order to carry out the disengagement. You have a majority within the Likud, if you carry it out according to the way the Likud wants. If Labor joins, this will be a green light not for a Likud-style disengagement, but for one according to the Peres-Beilin platform, which doesn't retain anything, one that will paint us as running away, one that will run down the settlers. It's a disengagement without patience and without tolerance [a play on words in Hebrew]."
MK Eitan protested the use of the term "Likud rebels" in describing those in the party who object to the inclusion of Labor:
"Against whom are we rebelling? Are we rebels because we say that we should not abandon Jewish tradition and the hareidi parties [by opposing a secular-left government]? We follow you [Sharon] with our eyes closed, but you can't close your eyes and go blindly to a partnership with Shinui and Labor and turn your back on our natural partners... You are endangering the continued existence of the Likud. We call upon you to form a government in which the Likud is the central factor."
MK Eitan also attacked Sharon's top advisor, Atty. Dov Weisglass:
"He is the private lawyer of the Sharon family, a man who is not a Likud man and does not represent the Likud." He said that for the past two years there has not been democracy in the Likud, but rather a dictatorship: "Today the decision is yours, don't let anyone make it for you! Vote for democracy in the Likud, vote for Uzi Landau's proposal!"
"I can support your [Sharon's] diplomatic position with the knowledge that this is being done out of lack of choice, like an operation to save whatever is possible - [if it is] done to save the settlement enterprise and then we can continue to struggle and fight against terrorism. But not if you lead us in the opposite direction...
"You have always acted like a bulldozer - in the Yom Kippur War, and in your fight against our enemies from the 1950's until today, and in absorbing Aliyah [immigration], and in housing, and in much more, always acting against the grain [for the good of the country]. But today, don't act like a bulldozer - don't run over the settlers and the residents of Yesha, and don't run us down as well as the Likud movement. Have patience, and it will be for the good of the Likud, the country, and the Jewish People."
MK Eitan continued,
"The idea of including Labor in the government is not necessary in order to carry out the disengagement. You have a majority within the Likud, if you carry it out according to the way the Likud wants. If Labor joins, this will be a green light not for a Likud-style disengagement, but for one according to the Peres-Beilin platform, which doesn't retain anything, one that will paint us as running away, one that will run down the settlers. It's a disengagement without patience and without tolerance [a play on words in Hebrew]."
MK Eitan protested the use of the term "Likud rebels" in describing those in the party who object to the inclusion of Labor:
"Against whom are we rebelling? Are we rebels because we say that we should not abandon Jewish tradition and the hareidi parties [by opposing a secular-left government]? We follow you [Sharon] with our eyes closed, but you can't close your eyes and go blindly to a partnership with Shinui and Labor and turn your back on our natural partners... You are endangering the continued existence of the Likud. We call upon you to form a government in which the Likud is the central factor."
MK Eitan also attacked Sharon's top advisor, Atty. Dov Weisglass:
"He is the private lawyer of the Sharon family, a man who is not a Likud man and does not represent the Likud." He said that for the past two years there has not been democracy in the Likud, but rather a dictatorship: "Today the decision is yours, don't let anyone make it for you! Vote for democracy in the Likud, vote for Uzi Landau's proposal!"