Uzi Landau, who was fired from the Cabinet by Ariel Sharon over a year ago because of his anti-expulsion stance, also plans to run for Likud Party leader. "Today there is new hope in the party," he said. "The Likud is returning to values of the Land of Israel, of clean politics, of social sensitivity - and all the values that the Likud always had except when Ariel Sharon was in power."
"Sharon quit the Likud not for what he did, but for what he plans to do," Landau said. "Sharon is planning grave and extensive diplomatic moves on an even greater scale than he did in the disengagement framework." Landau said that Sharon's plans this time include the Jordan Valley, Judea and Samaria, the Golan and even Jerusalem.
"You'll notice that Sharon has not attacked [new Labor Party leader] Amir Peretz for his diplomatic stance," Landau said, "even though Peretz is very left-wing." This is because Sharon plans to form a government coalition with Peretz to divide Jerusalem, Landau feels.
"Sharon has abused us, including many people who helped him for a long time," Landau said. "As my friend MK Michael Eitan said, he is treating us like the British in 1947, when the left abruptly and suddenly, leaving us vulnerable, and hoping that we would crawl back to them and beg them to return - which we didn't."
Moshe Feiglin, head of the Manhigut Yehudit faction of the Likud and one of the candidates for Likud leader, welcomes Sharon's decision to quit the party. "This is a rare chance to truly effect a revolution," he told Arutz-7 today. "In addition, it will now be easier to bring out more people to vote for the Likud, because no one will be able to claim that our votes will bring someone like Sharon to power." Feiglin is optimistic that he has a chance to reach a second-round runoff in the upcoming primaries: "Surveys show that I have 8-9%, while people like Katz and Livnat get 1%. People have to just come out and vote, get others to come and vote for me."
Asked who he prefers among his main competitors, Feiglin said, "Landau is of course better than Netanyahu, but both belong to the old secular Zionist camp of survival, whereas I represent the idea of Jewish destiny and a true solution for the present malaise that the country is facing, the malaise that brings us disengagements and the like."
Education Minister Limor Livnat put to rest rumors that she is a candidate for party leader. Asked who she supports in the race, she said, "I support the candidate who has the best chance to lead the Likud to victory, and the one who will win the party primaries and will be our agreed-upon candidate."
Front-running candidate Binyamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Sha'ul Mofaz are maintaining radio silence in their relations with the media since Sharon's announcement.
It might be noted that Netanyahu's refusal to run for Prime Minister in the 2001 election - feeling that he could not govern effectively with a Knesset split down the middle between right and left - was that which allowed Ariel Sharon to run on behalf of the Likud and become Prime Minister.
Agriculture Minister Yisrael Katz - a former campaign manager for Netanyahu, and the head of the Likud secretariat - says he is the best suited to lead the party, as he "represents the central stream of the party."
"Sharon quit the Likud not for what he did, but for what he plans to do," Landau said. "Sharon is planning grave and extensive diplomatic moves on an even greater scale than he did in the disengagement framework." Landau said that Sharon's plans this time include the Jordan Valley, Judea and Samaria, the Golan and even Jerusalem.
"You'll notice that Sharon has not attacked [new Labor Party leader] Amir Peretz for his diplomatic stance," Landau said, "even though Peretz is very left-wing." This is because Sharon plans to form a government coalition with Peretz to divide Jerusalem, Landau feels.
"Sharon has abused us, including many people who helped him for a long time," Landau said. "As my friend MK Michael Eitan said, he is treating us like the British in 1947, when the left abruptly and suddenly, leaving us vulnerable, and hoping that we would crawl back to them and beg them to return - which we didn't."
Moshe Feiglin, head of the Manhigut Yehudit faction of the Likud and one of the candidates for Likud leader, welcomes Sharon's decision to quit the party. "This is a rare chance to truly effect a revolution," he told Arutz-7 today. "In addition, it will now be easier to bring out more people to vote for the Likud, because no one will be able to claim that our votes will bring someone like Sharon to power." Feiglin is optimistic that he has a chance to reach a second-round runoff in the upcoming primaries: "Surveys show that I have 8-9%, while people like Katz and Livnat get 1%. People have to just come out and vote, get others to come and vote for me."
Asked who he prefers among his main competitors, Feiglin said, "Landau is of course better than Netanyahu, but both belong to the old secular Zionist camp of survival, whereas I represent the idea of Jewish destiny and a true solution for the present malaise that the country is facing, the malaise that brings us disengagements and the like."
Education Minister Limor Livnat put to rest rumors that she is a candidate for party leader. Asked who she supports in the race, she said, "I support the candidate who has the best chance to lead the Likud to victory, and the one who will win the party primaries and will be our agreed-upon candidate."
Front-running candidate Binyamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Sha'ul Mofaz are maintaining radio silence in their relations with the media since Sharon's announcement.
It might be noted that Netanyahu's refusal to run for Prime Minister in the 2001 election - feeling that he could not govern effectively with a Knesset split down the middle between right and left - was that which allowed Ariel Sharon to run on behalf of the Likud and become Prime Minister.
Agriculture Minister Yisrael Katz - a former campaign manager for Netanyahu, and the head of the Likud secretariat - says he is the best suited to lead the party, as he "represents the central stream of the party."