Landau, a staunch opponent of the expulsion plan, has been leading the bloc of Likud MK’s faithful to the party’s traditional platform, against the withdrawal from Gaza.
Many political commentators thought that Landau would refrain from announcing an election bid in order to support former finance minister Binyamin Netanyahu.
Netanyahu, who resigned his post as finance minister on Sunday in opposition to the government’s decision to expel 10,000 Jews from their homes in Gaza and northern Samaria, is expected to challenge Prime Minister Ariel Sharon for the top government post.
Several polls among Likud party members, carried out by various survey companies for various Israeli media outlets have shown, across the board, that Netanyahu would handily defeat Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in party primaries, if held today.
A Haaretz newspaper poll showed that 35% of Likud voters would elect Netanyahu as party head, as opposed to 29% for Sharon. Landau received 17% support. Meanwhile, Ma'ariv newspaper showed support for Netanyahu as party leader at 42%, and TV Channels 2 and 10 showed even larger leads for Netanyahu over Sharon.
Landau announced his decision at a Tel Aviv press conference. “I want a different type of politics,” he said. “I’m here in order to bring about an honorable leadership.”
“The past five years have witnessed a dramatic decline in (the quality) of government,” Landau said.
“The vote (in the cabinet on Sunday) on uprooting Israeli towns in northern Gaza underscores the negativism. The decision means that the government of Israel is declaring that the land of Israel is irrelevant. I am not ready to accept that. Uprooting 24 Jewish towns, and not one Arab town, provides a dangerous precedent. This is not the way to make peace,” said Landau
When asked yesterday whether he intends to run as the number two man on Netanyahu’s Knesset list, Landau responded that Netanyahu “will be my number two.”
Unlike American politics, Israel does not hold direct elections for prime minister. Voters vote only for a party list. The head of the list that gets the most votes is usually asked by the president to form a government. If he succeeds, the head of the list becomes the country’s prime minister.
Many political commentators thought that Landau would refrain from announcing an election bid in order to support former finance minister Binyamin Netanyahu.
Netanyahu, who resigned his post as finance minister on Sunday in opposition to the government’s decision to expel 10,000 Jews from their homes in Gaza and northern Samaria, is expected to challenge Prime Minister Ariel Sharon for the top government post.
Several polls among Likud party members, carried out by various survey companies for various Israeli media outlets have shown, across the board, that Netanyahu would handily defeat Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in party primaries, if held today.
A Haaretz newspaper poll showed that 35% of Likud voters would elect Netanyahu as party head, as opposed to 29% for Sharon. Landau received 17% support. Meanwhile, Ma'ariv newspaper showed support for Netanyahu as party leader at 42%, and TV Channels 2 and 10 showed even larger leads for Netanyahu over Sharon.
Landau announced his decision at a Tel Aviv press conference. “I want a different type of politics,” he said. “I’m here in order to bring about an honorable leadership.”
“The past five years have witnessed a dramatic decline in (the quality) of government,” Landau said.
“The vote (in the cabinet on Sunday) on uprooting Israeli towns in northern Gaza underscores the negativism. The decision means that the government of Israel is declaring that the land of Israel is irrelevant. I am not ready to accept that. Uprooting 24 Jewish towns, and not one Arab town, provides a dangerous precedent. This is not the way to make peace,” said Landau
When asked yesterday whether he intends to run as the number two man on Netanyahu’s Knesset list, Landau responded that Netanyahu “will be my number two.”
Unlike American politics, Israel does not hold direct elections for prime minister. Voters vote only for a party list. The head of the list that gets the most votes is usually asked by the president to form a government. If he succeeds, the head of the list becomes the country’s prime minister.