New polls indicate that Ariel Sharon, the Prime Minister of Israel, is likely to face defeat in the Likud party referendum regarding his plan for withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. According to these polls conducted by the Israeli newspapers Yediot Aharonot and Haaretz, opponents of Israel's withdrawal from Gaza outnumber supporters of the plan by seven percent. It remains unclear whether the Prime Minister will present the plan to the Israeli parliament if he loses the support of the Likud party during the voting on Sunday. Meanwhile, Kofi Annan, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, sent a letter to Yasser Arafat, the President of the Palestinian Authority, on Friday, urging him to fulfill his commitments regarding the fight against terrorism and to curb the violence of militants. Mr. Annan had responded to a letter from Mr. Arafat, in which Arafat expressed his complaints about the Israeli Prime Minister's plan and President Bush's support for it.
Likelihood of Ariel Sharon's Referendum Failure - 2004-05-01
Ariel Sharon is likely to lose a referendum within the Likud party regarding his Gaza withdrawal plan, with polls showing more opposition than support. Kofi Annan has urged Yasser Arafat to combat terrorism in response to Arafat's complaints about Sharon's plan and U.S. support. This situation is significant as it highlights the internal and external pressures on Israeli and Palestinian leadership.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Ariel Sharon is likely to lose a referendum within his Likud party regarding his plan to withdraw from Gaza, with polls indicating more opposition than support. Kofi Annan has urged Yasser Arafat to combat terrorism in light of Arafat's complaints about Sharon's plan and U.S. backing.
- Polls show a 7% opposition to Sharon's Gaza withdrawal plan among Likud party members.
- Kofi Annan has communicated with Yasser Arafat regarding the need to address terrorism.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The Gaza withdrawal plan is part of a larger strategy to reshape Israeli-Palestinian relations, with significant implications for peace and security in the region.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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