Sharon Stuns Netanyahu, Wins Vote on Early Primaries by Slim Margin

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon won Monday's Likud Central Committee vote on whether to hold an early Likud Party primary by a slim 104-vote margin.

Sharon's victory by a majority of 1,433 to 1,329 over his rival MK Benjamin Netanyahu, who pushed for the proposal to hold the primary in 60 days, puts a freeze on the struggle within the Likud until April, when the primaries are scheduled under the party constitution.

Turnout was high as 91 percent, or 2,762 central committee members out of the listed 3,050 heeded Sharon's call by coming to cast their ballot.

The victory places Sharon in an even greater dilemma, according to some commentators, than if he had lost. In fact, Sharon is getting extra time to decide on his political future competing in the Likud or setting up a new political body to fight in the next elections.