New Rift in Israel

Haaretz - Israel News - Leader of the extreme right

It was of course highly opportunistic of Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resign from the Israeli government when the evacuation from Gaza was bound to happen. He wants to disrupt as much as possible.

Bibi is a media-savy and opportunistic politician who has now placed himself as leader of the extreme right in Israel, intent on blocking any move towards any sort of rapprochment with the Palestinians or implementation of the road map of the international community.

He will undoubtedly split the Likud party and create waves in Israeli public opinion. But he is most unlikely to derail the disengagement, and might as a matter of fact make it marginally more possible that there will be a continuation thereafter.

Ariel Sharon is fighting his battle with the lawbreakers and extremists of Israel. He deserves support.