THE MIDDLE EAST: The embattled Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Ariel Sharon, has said he will forge ahead with his Gaza withdrawal plan despite a humiliating drubbing from his own ruling Likud Party.
Likud stymied his bid this week to cobble together a coalition with the centre-left Labour Party.
Israel's attorney general, meanwhile, presented Mr Sharon yesterday with a written opinion on the implications of the International Court of Justice's ruling last month against the West Bank barrier, warning it could lead to sanctions against Israel.
At a party convention in Tel Aviv on Wednesday night, delegates voted overwhelmingly to bar the prime minister from conducting negotiations with Labour, which Mr Sharon needs to bolster his minority coalition and to implement his plan to dismantle all 21 settlements in the Gaza Strip and four in the northern West Bank.
The prime minister's office released a statement saying Mr Sharon "is determined to continue with the disengagement plan and the diplomatic process and he will try to build a stable coalition".
Mr Sharon's options are narrowing fast. If he defies his party - which he did after members voted in May against his withdrawal plan - he could split the Likud or ultimately spark a challenge to his leadership.
Many of the 40 Likud lawmakers in parliament oppose uprooting Jewish settlements and so do not want Labour, which backs a Gaza withdrawal and would be prepared to go much further in the West Bank, as a partner in government.
Without Labour, though, it is unlikely Mr Sharon would be able to put together a coalition that supports his disengagement plan.
The prime minister began talks with Labour several weeks ago, after right-wing members of his coalition bolted over the government's decision to adopt, in principle, the Gaza pull-out plan.
While a clear majority of Israelis back the move, the members of Likud's central committee are more hardline. Fifty-eight per cent of more than 1,500 delegates present Wednesday night supported a proposal blocking Mr Sharon from talking to Labour.
Angry Labour leaders called for early elections, saying in a statement that the Likud "destroys all chances to bring about an end to violence in the region". However, the Labour Party leader, Mr Shimon Peres, did not slam the door on joining a Likud-led coalition, saying that if Mr Sharon again made an overture to Labour, "we will discuss it."
Some observers suggested the Israeli leader could not ignore the vote and would have to turn to some of the ultra-Orthodox parties in an attempt to put together a new coalition.
Another option, if Mr Sharon feels he has become a lame duck, is early elections, but he is unlikely to go that route until he has exhausted all other options.
Mr Sharon did have some good news yesterday when the High Court of Justice upheld a decision by the attorney general, Mr Menachem Mazuz, not to prosecute him in a corruption case which included his son.
Mr Mazuz meanwhile presented Mr Sharon with the opinion of a team set up to explore the ramifications of the ruling by the International Court of Justice, which determined that the West Bank barrier was a violation of international law, must be torn down and that Palestinians harmed by it must be compensated.
"The decision creates a judicial reality for Israel within the international arena, that is likely to be used as a catalyst for actions against Israel in international forums, even sanctions," says the legal opinion presented to the prime minister.
In a related development, the Israeli High Court yesterday gave the state 30 days to relate to the international court's decision and its possible ramifications on the construction of the barrier in the West Bank. The court was ruling on a petition against the fence brought by a group of Palestinians whose land has been expropriated for the purpose of building the barrier.