Sharon Questioned About Bribery

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was questioned by police for more than two hours Thursday in a bribery case that could force his resignation, and critics charged his talk of removing Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip was meant to deflect attention from the scandal.

Police said that the prime minister cooperated fully during his late-morning interrogation.

On Wednesday, Sharon welcomed a proposal to hold a referendum on the plan, accepting a challenge from opponents in his Likud Party. The removal of authorized settlements in the West Bank and Gaza, as well as a referendum, would be firsts in Israel.

Several leading Likud figures have not yet chosen sides in the battle. However, Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz, a leader of the hawkish wing of Likud, said he supported a Gaza withdrawal. About 7,500 Israelis live in heavily guarded settlements in Gaza, home to more than 1.3 million Palestinians.

"The plan of disengagement from the Palestinians is good and the evacuation of the (Gaza) strip will provide greater security to the residents of Israel than they have now," the Yediot Ahronot daily on Thursday quoted Mofaz as saying.

Police, led by the head of the serious-crimes unit, questioned Sharon at his official residence for 2½ hours, said police spokesman Gil Kleiman.

"The prime minister cooperated fully. This was a summing up interview, meant to fill in the gaps and round out previous interviews," Kleiman said, adding that no further questioning of Sharon is planned. Sharon had been questioned about the matter in October.

Last month, real-estate developer David Appel was indicted on charges of bribing Sharon with $690,000 in a tourism development deal in Greece. The bulk of the money was allegedly paid to Sharon's son, Gilad, for marketing services.

Under Israeli law, a person can be convicted of accepting a bribe only if criminal intent is proven. This allows for a case in which the recipient of a bribe is not indicted.

Sharon denies any wrongdoing, but an indict against him could force his resignation, reports CBS News Correspondent Robert Berger.

Appel told Israel TV's Channel Two on Wednesday that Sharon, at the time foreign minister, was not involved in the development deal. "He (Sharon) didn't know about anything that is tied to this, not from me at least," Appel said.

Israel's new attorney general, Meni Mazuz, conducted his first review of the case Tuesday, and Israel TV reported he was expected to decide in two or three months on whether to indict Sharon.

Many politicians and analysts linked the scandal to Sharon's emerging plan for unilateral disengagement from the Palestinians if peace talks fail, including removing some settlements and imposing a boundary on the Palestinians.

"The depth of the inquiry equals the depth of the evacuation," said Gaza resident Zvi Hendel, a lawmaker from the pro-settlement National Union and a deputy minister in Sharon's Cabinet.

Sharon's hawkish colleagues in Likud feel betrayed. Twelve parliamentarians have sent a letter to Sharon warning him not to make a unilateral decision on dismantling settlements.

Likud hawks say Sharon's plan violates the party platform against dismantling settlements, reports Berger.

On Wednesday, Sharon spokesman Raanan Gissin said the prime minister would welcome a referendum because the issue cuts across ideological lines and "has overwhelming support among the public."

Sharon's center-right coalition government was not likely to survive removal of settlements, with two pro-settler parties poised to resign if he carries out his plans. Sharon said he was determined to implement his plan and would call elections if necessary.

Jewish settlers in the Gaza Strip community of Gush Khatif say the Zionist response to Sharon's anti-settlement plan is to build.

"And we are now planning to build 20 new homes," said spokesman Dror Vanunu. "We are sure Gush Khatif will remain forever."