1. Seems that the Likud center is aiming for early elections. I don't see the coalition standing up to such a decision.

2. To all those who criticized Sharon for backing out on his declaration that a Palestinian state will indeed exist (including the demagogue in Saturday evening's protest): Sharon knew that this decision is being brought up before the Likud center. As he is the chairman of the Likud party, he could not democratically take a position that his party may decide against without resigning. He made a choice rare in its appropriateness in the Israeli political arena. He should be commended for it.

Sharon is a member of the Likud party, and is answerable to it. That is a main part of our parliamentary system, a system to which we returned after a brief debut into the direct-election system.

Another way of looking at it: working against the express policy of their own party is what got Netanyahu and Barak into elections so soon. I would expect for Sharon to learn from other people's mistakes.

Of course, in this case, it won't matter, since it's not likely that Labour can stay in this government very long without losing what little credibility they had, and others are likely to follow.