Sharon: Back Gaza pullout or lose U.S. assurances

[maddezmom]

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Scrambling to halt erosion of support for his Gaza pullout plan, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon urged lawmakers on Thursday to back him or risk losing unprecedented U.S. assurances to the Jewish state.

Sharon said a new package of U.S. commitments that could widen Israel's borders and prevent the return of Palestinian refugees was an "inseparable part" of his proposal to withdraw from the Gaza Strip and four West Bank settlements.

"Whoever is opposed to the plan gives up all these achievements we'd made...(and) will carry the responsibility of cancelling all the U.S. commitments," said Sharon. "This is a comprehensive agreement".

Sharon came out fighting during a parliamentary session after a poll found support for his "disengagement" proposal in his right-wing Likud party had slipped to 44 percent ahead of a crucial May 2 party referendum. Forty percent opposed the plan.

~snip~

more: http://www.reuters.com/locales/newsArticle.jsp;:4087a887:abc26236addd93ef?type=worldNews&locale=en_IN&storyID=4906523

[DarkPhenyx]

1. With any luck...

...the hardliners in his party will screw him and it'll all fall apart.

[soleft]

3. Very sad situation when we look for help from people right of Sharon nt

[DarkPhenyx]

4. I don't think of it so much as looking for help...

...as looking for oppertunities to take advantage of their own stupidity.

[BostonTeaParty04]

2. Oh I wish!

I surely wish that IF the Israeli lawmakers refuse to back Sharon's 'deal of the century' that the US would totally and completely cut Israel off our teets! If it were only THAT simple!

Wonder where Sharon got those fighting words? "back him or risk losing unprecedented U.S. assurances to the Jewish state."

[bemildred]

5. Bush's assurances are worth squat. nt