Netanyahu himself participated in the negotiations between his advisors and those of Dr. Landau. They agreed to work together to defeat efforts of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to convince the Likud Central Committee to delay the vote.
If the Likud Central Committee votes to hold early party primaries for the next national elections which are scheduled for November, 2006, Sharon, according to the current polls, is likely to lose. While a loss for Sharon would not technically affect his incumbent term as Prime Minister, his advisors fear that an internal party defeat would start the ball rolling towards the toppling of the government with the support of many in his own Likud party.
The Likud committee is scheduled to meet on September 26, and Landau and Netanyahu are pushing for primaries by December. Dr. Landau maintained that he will remain in the leadership race, vying against Netanyahu, despite the agreement to work with him towards holding primaries.
Landau also stated he will not cooperate in any attempt to topple the government in a Knesset no-confidence vote. Netanyahu denied reports he will try to do so, but some analysts think he will change his strategy if he wins the party leadership vote.
Netanyahu and Landau accused Sharon of trying to delay the vote and buy time while making preparations to lead a new party. The Prime Minister and close aides failed to prevent the call for leadership elections. They unsuccessfully tried to persuade committee members to claim that their signatures had been forged on a petition calling for the September 26th meeting.
Sharon told Likud activists in the Galilee Thursday night, "Help me stop them from toppling me. This is not an election. It's a coup attempt."
Sharon's term of office expires in November, 2006, but many analysts are predicting early national elections.
At least two recent polls this week revealed that the Likud would fare better under Sharon in the next general elections. If Sharon were to form a new party, voters would give almost equal support to him, Labor and the Likud under Netanyahu, according to the surveys commissioned by Israel Radio and Smith-Globes.
If the Likud Central Committee votes to hold early party primaries for the next national elections which are scheduled for November, 2006, Sharon, according to the current polls, is likely to lose. While a loss for Sharon would not technically affect his incumbent term as Prime Minister, his advisors fear that an internal party defeat would start the ball rolling towards the toppling of the government with the support of many in his own Likud party.
The Likud committee is scheduled to meet on September 26, and Landau and Netanyahu are pushing for primaries by December. Dr. Landau maintained that he will remain in the leadership race, vying against Netanyahu, despite the agreement to work with him towards holding primaries.
Landau also stated he will not cooperate in any attempt to topple the government in a Knesset no-confidence vote. Netanyahu denied reports he will try to do so, but some analysts think he will change his strategy if he wins the party leadership vote.
Netanyahu and Landau accused Sharon of trying to delay the vote and buy time while making preparations to lead a new party. The Prime Minister and close aides failed to prevent the call for leadership elections. They unsuccessfully tried to persuade committee members to claim that their signatures had been forged on a petition calling for the September 26th meeting.
Sharon told Likud activists in the Galilee Thursday night, "Help me stop them from toppling me. This is not an election. It's a coup attempt."
Sharon's term of office expires in November, 2006, but many analysts are predicting early national elections.
At least two recent polls this week revealed that the Likud would fare better under Sharon in the next general elections. If Sharon were to form a new party, voters would give almost equal support to him, Labor and the Likud under Netanyahu, according to the surveys commissioned by Israel Radio and Smith-Globes.