Gaza withdrawal debate expected to be postponed

"There will be a debate. We are still unsure if there will be a vote," said the aide, Asaf Shariv.

The political wrangling sharpened the rivalry between Sharon and Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a former premier, who is popular among Likud party members and has refused to endorse the withdrawal plan.

Without Netanyahu's support, Sharon has little chance of winning the approval of the divided cabinet.

"It seems we are in a head-to-head clash," said a source close to Netanyahu, a possible successor as prime minister.

If the plan is put to a vote, it could lead to a cabinet shakeup, regardless of the outcome. If it is approved, two pro-settler parties in Sharon's coalition are expected to quit. If it is rejected, Sharon is expected to rearrange his coalition by bringing in the moderate Labour Party, in hopes of getting the plan approved in the new forum.

Sharon's attempts to reach a compromise with the hard-liners failed this week. He had offered to present just a small portion of the plan to the cabinet, but still was unable to secure a cabinet majority.

Sharon has been trying to salvage the Gaza pullout plan, his major initiative in 3 1/2 years of Israeli-Palestinian fighting, since his Likud Party rejected it in a May 2 vote.

Sharon believes settlements in Gaza, home to 7,500 Israelis, must be sacrificed to assure the future of settlements in the West Bank.

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