Israel’s Supreme Court has ordered a son of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to hand over documents relating to a fraud inquiry that commentators believe could eventually force Sharon to resign.
It is the latest development in two investigations into the prime minister and his sons, which are expected to be concluded in the new year.
Gilad Sharon was forced to hand over the documents relating to a $1,5-million loan from a family friend to repay allegedly illegal campaign contributions to help Sharon win the leadership of the Likud Party.
The police suspect that the loan was not paid by the family friend, Cyril Kern, a British businessman who lives in South Africa, but by others, whose motives and connections to the Sharon family are unclear.
The second investigation relates to the circumstances in which Gilad Sharon was employed by an Israeli businessman as a consultant to promote a development project in Greece.
Ariel Sharon was foreign minister at the time and the police are investigating whether he used his influence to promote the project in return for payments to his son.
One by-product of the investigations is expected to be that Sharon will announce and carry out radical new measures to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, both to distract attention from the case and to make his mark should he be forced from power.
Yaron Izrahi, a political scientist at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, said there was a direct correlation between the investigations and Sharon’s recent comments about removing settlements and making ”painful concessions” to the Palestinians.
”It is not the only factor in Sharon’s actions but it is a contributing factor. Some of his most provocative statements have been made on the days when the investigations have reached a climax,” he said. ”His time is running out. He may very well have to resign as prime minister at the end of this.”
A number of government proposals are causing unease in Israel. Shaul Mofaz, the Defence Minister, has told the leaders of the settlers in the West Bank that he intends to dismantle a number of large populated outposts.
The evacuation of the mobile homes and temporary buildings was detailed in the road map to peace and the United States has been pressing Sharon to carry it out.
But it could provoke civil unrest and bring down the government.
This week Sharon suggested for the first time that he was considering removing some of the permanent settlements. He also said he was considering a new diplomatic initiative that would be ”difficult” and ”controversial”. — Â