Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon upended Israeli politics this week when he quit the right-wing Likud Party, which he helped found three decades ago. Many in the party opposed Sharon's withdrawal of troops and settlers from Gaza this summer and had been threatening to block further moves. 'œLife in Likud has become unbearable,' Sharon said. He immediately began recruiting moderates from all parties—including former Labor leader Shimon Peres—to form a new, centrist party called National Responsibility. Early elections are set for next March.
Even by Israeli standards, this is 'œa political earthquake,' said Aluf Benn in Salon.com. The first rumblings began with Sharon's policy of unilateral disengagement. Sending Israeli troops to evict Israeli settlers from Gaza 'œtore apart the Likud, which historically supported the Greater Israel concept.' Yet it was also during that withdrawal that Sharon showed just how brilliant a leader he can be. 'œThe scary scenarios of large-scale violence and a rift within the military never came to pass.' The architect of settlements proved to be the man who could dismantle them 'œwithout a single gunshot.'
That's why the public is already with him, said Michael B. Oren in The New Republic Online. A clear majority of Israelis isn't as right-wing as Likud nor as left as Labor, and it has been seeking a leader. Israelis are ready to make 'œimmense sacrifices' for lasting peace, but if the Palestinians won't keep a peace agreement, Israelis also want the option of retreating to 'œdemographically rational lines behind a secure and fortified fence.' The public has given up the dream of Greater Israel—and so has Sharon. Even though Israel has never before had a viable centrist party, National Responsibility could well win next spring's elections.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
London Times
-
A bipartisan deal on the federal budgetfeature House and Senate negotiators overcame partisan divisions to hammer out a budget deal, but it remained unclear whether it would be approved.
-
The furor over U.S. wiretapping of its allies
feature The president faced a full-scale diplomatic crisis after leaked documents revealed that the NSA had for years tapped the cellphone of Angela Merkel.
-
The Weiner scandal, Part 2
feature Anthony Weiner acknowledged that he had continued to send sexually explicit messages online after resigning from Congress in disgrace.
-
The IRS’s Tea Party crackdown
feature The Obama administration was scrambling to distance itself from a growing scandal at the Internal Revenue Service.
-
A strong start for holiday sales
feature Shoppers flocked to malls and spent record sums online over the Thanksgiving weekend.
-
Anti-American riots spread
feature A violent backlash against a U.S.-made film that mocked the Prophet Mohammed continued to sweep across the Muslim world.
-
Bishops sue over birth control
feature More than 40 Catholic institutions filed lawsuits challenging the new health-care law's mandate for birth control coverage.
-
Seeking facts in the Martin case
feature The parents of Trayvon Martin called for federal officials to investigate the prosecutor who decided not to charge their son’s killer.