If Netanyahu wins, he would become the Likud's candidate for prime minister in the next general election, replacing current PM Ariel Sharon.
Sharon and Netanyahu have been trading stinging verbal attacks over the past few days.
Netanyahu told the reporters that he plans "to lead the [Likud] party to victory in the coming elections, and to form the next government," setting off hearty applause by many in the assembled crowd. Plenty of Netanyahu supporters, and some few, but loud, opposers were in the crowd.
Netanyahu well showed his usual charismatic speaking abilities. There was more applause than booing, by far, but there was some of each. Hecklers caused Netanyahu to pause for several moments, at one point, until he told them, "It's hard to listen to the truth."
Netanyahu told the assembled reporters, "Today Likud needs a leader who can unite the factions, rehabilitate the ruins, and lead the party to victory. Who will then lead the state in the spirit of our (Likud) principles, and I believe that I can do that."
He said of Prime Minister, and current leader of the Likud, Ariel Sharon, "The man who got the votes turned his shoulder. He abandoned the principles of the Likud. He chose a different path, the path of the left."
"We have to bring back the principles Sharon trampled on, to the Likud [party] and to the state."
As matters stand, Israel will hold general elections by November of next year, but elections could be called and held much sooner than that, potentially.
Though speculations abound regarding Sharon splitting off from the Likud to form a new party, he stopped short of promising one way or the other, though said he would refuse to serve under Netanyahu if he lost.
Sharon also blasted the Likud platform loyalists for working to bring about national elections thereby cutting short the ruling party's term. "This is the first time that a ruling party voluntarily forgoes an entire year in power," Sharon said.
Sharon launched an attack on recently-resigned Finance Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, who leads him in the polls, saying he is an anxious, tense man who panics and loses his head.
"Such a man is unfit to lead a country," Sharon said. "Israel is a unique country. In order to lead it you need to have common sense and nerves of steel. Netanyahu has neither. It is irresponsible to run away a week before presenting the budget. I wouldn't trust such a man."
Sharon also accused Netanyahu of being equally responsible for the Gaza withdrawal, but afraid to take responsibility for it. "After voting four times for the Disengagement, he flinched and ducked responsibility," Sharon said. "He can't lead a country; definitely not a country like Israel. Composure is crucial." Sharon also said that he saw "dangerous developments" when Netanyahu served as prime minister.
The Likud Central Committee, despite the best efforts of both Ariel and Omri Sharon, will convene on September 26th to review a proposal to hold party primaries, a process that may signal the beginning of the end of Sharon's term in office.
Sharon and his family tried several measures in order to postpone the primaries, including allegedly intimidating members of the Central Committee into withdrawing their names from the proposal. When some of the necessary committee member signatures on the proposal were claimed by Sharon to be forged, affidavits from those members were submitted, and the meeting will take place as planned.
Opponents of Sharon in the Central Commitee hope to hold primaries in November, within 60 days of the committee's vote. The date of the primaries will signify the day by which Sharon must decide whether he is leaving the Likud or staying to challenge Netanyahu, Moshe Feiglin and MK Dr. Uzi Landau for the leadership of the party. Defense Minister Sha'ul Mofaz has announced that he would run for the position should Sharon split from the Likud.
Though he attacked Labor candidate Amram Mitzna's Gaza withdrawal plan in the last election and declared that the "destiny of Netzarim [in Gaza] is the destiny of Tel Aviv," Sharon was more direct about his intentions for the future Monday. "Not all of the West Bank settlements will remain," Sharon said. "The final map will be presented at the last phase of the negotiations."
Sharon's advisors continue to try to prevent the Central Committee from convening. Sharon's camp is considering bringing the case to a civil court and claiming that the Likud court did not have the authority to call for primaries when general elections have not yet been announced. Relations between the Sharon family and the Central Committee have declined since the former made unilateral policy decisions counter to the Likud party platform and ignored the results of a Likud referendum which rejected the Gaza pullout plan that was called by the Prime Minister himself.
Sharon and Netanyahu have been trading stinging verbal attacks over the past few days.
Netanyahu told the reporters that he plans "to lead the [Likud] party to victory in the coming elections, and to form the next government," setting off hearty applause by many in the assembled crowd. Plenty of Netanyahu supporters, and some few, but loud, opposers were in the crowd.
Netanyahu well showed his usual charismatic speaking abilities. There was more applause than booing, by far, but there was some of each. Hecklers caused Netanyahu to pause for several moments, at one point, until he told them, "It's hard to listen to the truth."
Netanyahu told the assembled reporters, "Today Likud needs a leader who can unite the factions, rehabilitate the ruins, and lead the party to victory. Who will then lead the state in the spirit of our (Likud) principles, and I believe that I can do that."
He said of Prime Minister, and current leader of the Likud, Ariel Sharon, "The man who got the votes turned his shoulder. He abandoned the principles of the Likud. He chose a different path, the path of the left."
"We have to bring back the principles Sharon trampled on, to the Likud [party] and to the state."
As matters stand, Israel will hold general elections by November of next year, but elections could be called and held much sooner than that, potentially.
Though speculations abound regarding Sharon splitting off from the Likud to form a new party, he stopped short of promising one way or the other, though said he would refuse to serve under Netanyahu if he lost.
Sharon also blasted the Likud platform loyalists for working to bring about national elections thereby cutting short the ruling party's term. "This is the first time that a ruling party voluntarily forgoes an entire year in power," Sharon said.
Sharon launched an attack on recently-resigned Finance Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, who leads him in the polls, saying he is an anxious, tense man who panics and loses his head.
"Such a man is unfit to lead a country," Sharon said. "Israel is a unique country. In order to lead it you need to have common sense and nerves of steel. Netanyahu has neither. It is irresponsible to run away a week before presenting the budget. I wouldn't trust such a man."
Sharon also accused Netanyahu of being equally responsible for the Gaza withdrawal, but afraid to take responsibility for it. "After voting four times for the Disengagement, he flinched and ducked responsibility," Sharon said. "He can't lead a country; definitely not a country like Israel. Composure is crucial." Sharon also said that he saw "dangerous developments" when Netanyahu served as prime minister.
The Likud Central Committee, despite the best efforts of both Ariel and Omri Sharon, will convene on September 26th to review a proposal to hold party primaries, a process that may signal the beginning of the end of Sharon's term in office.
Sharon and his family tried several measures in order to postpone the primaries, including allegedly intimidating members of the Central Committee into withdrawing their names from the proposal. When some of the necessary committee member signatures on the proposal were claimed by Sharon to be forged, affidavits from those members were submitted, and the meeting will take place as planned.
Opponents of Sharon in the Central Commitee hope to hold primaries in November, within 60 days of the committee's vote. The date of the primaries will signify the day by which Sharon must decide whether he is leaving the Likud or staying to challenge Netanyahu, Moshe Feiglin and MK Dr. Uzi Landau for the leadership of the party. Defense Minister Sha'ul Mofaz has announced that he would run for the position should Sharon split from the Likud.
Though he attacked Labor candidate Amram Mitzna's Gaza withdrawal plan in the last election and declared that the "destiny of Netzarim [in Gaza] is the destiny of Tel Aviv," Sharon was more direct about his intentions for the future Monday. "Not all of the West Bank settlements will remain," Sharon said. "The final map will be presented at the last phase of the negotiations."
Sharon's advisors continue to try to prevent the Central Committee from convening. Sharon's camp is considering bringing the case to a civil court and claiming that the Likud court did not have the authority to call for primaries when general elections have not yet been announced. Relations between the Sharon family and the Central Committee have declined since the former made unilateral policy decisions counter to the Likud party platform and ignored the results of a Likud referendum which rejected the Gaza pullout plan that was called by the Prime Minister himself.