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.'
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