Sharon under pressure for Gaza referendum

Sharon is struggling to keep his ruling coalition together amid far-right opposition to the plan for evacuating Jewish settlers from Gaza and parts of the West Bank in order to "disengage" from conflict with the Palestinians.

Advocates of a referendum say it could ensure political stability and possibly prevent violence, but Sharon spurned an earlier call and his supporters feel it would delay a plan that polls show to have the backing of most Israelis.

A key cabinet member from Sharon's ruling rightist Likud party joined the call for a national vote on Sunday and Israeli media said the proposal was also supported by President Moshe Katsav, whose role is largely ceremonial.

"At this time, in order to prevent a clash or even, God forbid, civil war, we must go to the people, which means a referendum or elections," said Education Minister Limor Livnat. "Of course, I would prefer a referendum."

Sharon was due on Sunday to meet leaders of the Yesha settler council, the hard core of ultranationalists determined to resist a withdrawal from any land captured by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war and seen by many Jews as a biblical trust.

Livnat suggested a referendum could reconcile Sharon with the settlers, who want a popular vote and have been campaigning vigorously against giving up territory.

Sharon rebuffed a referendum proposal last month by his Likud arch-rival, Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, vowing that the pullback would go ahead next year as planned.

But he has suffered setbacks since.