http://www2.haaretz.co.il/breaking-news/Elections2001/346121.stmmasthead |
Jerusalem Sunday, January 7, 2001
Supreme
Court petitioned to disqualify Sharon
candidacy for his actions in Lebanon
War By Moshe Reinfeld, Ha'aretz
Correspondent Attorney Shmuel Sa'adia, a Labor
Party member, petitioned the High Court of
Justice on Friday with a request to
disqualify Likud Chairman Ariel
Sharon as a candidate in the upcoming
elections for prime minister because of
his actions during the Lebanon War. The petition also asked the Supreme
Court to issue an order to temporarily
halt all activities of the Sharon campaign
until the court reaches a decision
regarding his eligiliby to run. The
petition was presented against Sharon and
the Likud Party. Sa'adia contends that Sharon is not
entitled to present his candidacy for
prime minister in light of the Kahan
Commission's findings, which investigated
the Sabra and Shatilla massacres. The
commission ruled that Sharon was unfit to
serve as defense minister. Sa'adia
contends that Sharon recognized the ruling
when he resigned from his post as defense
minister. According to the petitioner, the
commission's conclusion that Sharon is
"seriously morally defective" and
therefore unfit to serve as defense
minister, certainly means that he is unfit
to be prime minister. Furthermore, the petition is based on
the ruling of Tel Aviv District Court
Judge Moshe Talgam who rejected
Sharon's libel lawsuit against Ha'aretz.
The libel suit was directed at an article
by Uzi Benziman who charged that
Sharon was responsible for the Lebanon
War, which began while he was prime
minister. The article stated that he had
deceieved the late prime minister
Menachem Begin on all matters
related to the war and its extent. Talgam ruled that Benziman had written
the truth. The judge said that Sharon
"didn't behave honestly" with Begin during
the Lebanon War, and "gave him misleading
reports." |