Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon issued a last-minute appeal to voters in his Likud Party to support his plan to withdraw from the Gaza Strip, saying that rejection in a party referendum yesterday would threaten the country's future.
Yesterday's Likud vote was a critical test for Sharon. A loss would likely spark a major political crisis, including a possible Cabinet reshuffle, a split in the hard-line party or even early elections.
Sharon remains determined to carry out the withdrawal, regardless of the outcome of the vote, people close to the prime minister said. Other officials hinted that Sharon might seek a nationwide referendum on his plan -- a vote he would likely win.
In an encouraging sign for Sharon, a poll released yesterday indicated the Likud race was too close to predict. Most recent polls have pointed to a loss.
"The vote is important since it will decide if Israel will move forward in all realms -- security, the economy, education and employment, relations with the United States -- or will fall backward," Sharon told his Cabinet yesterday. "Everyone has to think about the future of its children and vote for my plan."
Sharon has proposed withdrawing from the Gaza Strip, including the evacuation of some 7,500 settlers, taking down four small West Bank settlements and completing construction of a West Bank separation barrier by the end of next year.
Sharon argues that this would give Israel defensible borders and reduce friction with the Palestinians in the absence of a final peace deal.
Opponents say an Israeli withdrawal will be seen as victory by Palestinian militants, and that Sharon is betraying the settlers. For decades, Sharon was the foremost champion of settlement expansion.
The opponents have run a tight campaign, plastering Israeli streets with posters and visiting thousands of Likud members in their homes. At a main polling station in Jerusalem yesterday, opponents holding banners and flags greeted voters as they arrived. No supporters of the plan were visible.
"We won't stop until the very end doing everything that we can," Likud Cabinet Minister Uzi Landau, who has led the opposition, said yesterday on Army Radio.
Opponents also got a boost from Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, an influential spiritual leader among Jews of Middle Eastern ancestry, who announced his strong opposition to the plan late Saturday. Many Likud members are Sephardic, with roots in Middle Eastern countries.
Although yesterday's vote isn't legally binding, Sharon pledged to honor the results when he first proposed the measure last month. But he has backed away from that promise since polls began turning against him.
Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz, an ally of Sharon, said yesterday that the plan would proceed, whether voters approve it or not. He told Army Radio that the Gaza settlements are not in the country's "national interest."
Polls opened at 8am and were to close at 10pm. Official results are expected early today.
Analysts said the race was still open, despite recent poll numbers. Much depends on how many of the 193,000 Likud members turn out. A strong showing is expected to help Sharon. He called on ministers at yesterday's Cabinet meeting to encourage people to vote.
A poll published in the Maariv daily yesterday showed 49 percent of Likud voters opposed the proposal, with 41 percent in favor. The poll had a 4.5 percentage point margin of error. But a second poll, in the Yediot Ahronot daily, showed a much closer race, with 48 percent opposed and 44 percent in favor.
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