Polls: Sharon Is Front-runner to Lead Likud

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, November 28, 2002

Polls: Sharon Is Front-runner to Lead Likud

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon appeared headed for an easy victory over his foreign minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, in Thursday's Likud party primary elections.

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Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon appeared headed for an easy victory over his foreign minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, in Thursday's Likud party primary elections.

Israeli voters will cast ballots for a new government on January 28.

In the run-up to Thursday's primary vote, Netanyahu has said that his first task if elected prime minister will be to expel Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat from the West Bank. He has demanded that Sharon reverse course and oppose creation of a Palestinian state.

In the past, Sharon has said he supports creation of a Palestinian state and will consider a US road map calling for the creation of such a state. However, he has been vague on what he wants it to look like.

Polls show a majority of Israeli voters support creation of a Palestinian state. A majority of Likud voters, even those who said they support Netanyahu, favor creation of a Palestinian state despite the foreign minister's public stand against it.

Initially, the race between Sharon and Netanyahu was expected to be close, but polls conducted for Israel Channel One, as well as the Israeli dailies Ha'aretz, Ma'ariv and Yediot Aharonot, all showed the prime minister leading Netanyahu by more than 20 percentage points.

Sharon has refused to change his government's policies in the face of Netanyahu's challenges. In consultations with the United States, Sharon promised not to harm or expel Arafat.

During his two years in office, Sharon has staunchly refused to reopen negotiations with the Palestinians while the violence continues.

If he wins the right to run as the Likud party's candidate, as expected, Sharon will face off against Amram Mitzna, the Labor Party candidate, who has promised to restart talks immediately with the Palestinians. Mitzna is mayor of the port city of Haifa and a dovish former Israeli general.

Sharon is heavily favored by most Israeli political pundits to win re-election to the prime minister's post.

Source: Agencies

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