Reply #113: Kerry called the plan to withdraw from Gaza "courageous"

[gottaB]

The plan is not popular with Likud or with the militant settlers.

Labor's response has been mixed:

Itzik said at the faction meeting, "there is no need to show Sharon any mercy, as we had did previously, because we will be acting against our interests."

She conditioned Labor's support on the disengagement plan, saying "if Sharon leaves Gaza, he will have our support. If not - he won't."

Ramon attacked his colleagues for deciding to vote against Sharon's statement and said they had made a mistake. "This is the first time in the state's history that a prime minister announces from the Knesset podium that he intends to disengage from Gaza and remove settlements, and Labor is not backing him. We should have at least abstained," he said.

Ramon said Labor should understand that Sharon is not the Likud today. "Sharon adopted the opposition's stand. We should not help the radical right to topple Sharon. It would be crazy to oust him for adopting Labor's positions," he said.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/487425.html