A businessman friend was charged last month with trying to
bribe Sharon in the 1990s and prosecutors have said they should
decide within months whether to indict the prime minister too
-- a move many analysts believe would force him from office.
Commentators say the case could weaken the former general's
hand in any talks with the Palestinians, while critics suggest
the announcement this week of his plan to get settlers out of
the Gaza Strip (news - web sites) might aim to divert attention.
Police sources said Sharon would be questioned about the
so-called "Greek Island Affair" but gave no further details.
Israeli media said questioning would take place at the prime
minister's official residence in Jerusalem.
Sharon, 75, has denied any wrongdoing in a string of
corruption scandals that have failed to dent popularity he has
won for tough measures to break a three-year-old Palestinian
uprising.
Few analysts expect a dramatic development in the case on
Thursday.
Sharon has rejected opposition calls to resign over the
affair and vowed to stay in office at least until the next
election in 2007.
REFERENDUM
On Wednesday, Sharon said he was prepared to hold a
referendum before carrying out his plans to dismantle 17 of the
21 Jewish enclaves in Gaza where 7,500 Jews live amid 1.3
million Palestinians.
Sharon was quoted as saying that the Gaza plan was
presented not "because of, but despite" the investigation in
comments reported by the Ynet Web site of the top-selling
newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth.
In Washington, a U.S. official said Secretary of State
Colin Powell (news - web sites) was scheduled to meet Israeli Deputy Prime
Minister Ehud Olmert on Thursday for talks on Israeli plans to
close Gaza settlements as well as the tattered U.S. "road map"
peace plan and the Palestinians' failure to crack down on
violence.
Police questioned Sharon for seven hours last October over
the scandal for which a prominent property developer and
stalwart of the prime minister's ruling Likud party was charged
last month. David Appel has asserted his innocence.
Prosecutors said Appel hired Sharon's son Gilad in 1999 and
paid him large sums to persuade his father, then foreign
minister, to promote real estate deals.
The indictment against Appel did not cite any evidence that
Sharon knowingly accepted political favors.
Israeli opposition figures, commentators and Palestinian
officials have wondered whether Sharon -- a longtime champion
of the settlers -- is serious about his plan, citing what they
see as a wide gap between his policy statements and acts.
Polls show most Israelis favor scrapping Jewish enclaves
exposed to a Palestinian uprising, both in Gaza and the West
Bank, where Sharon plans to leave most settlements alone.
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan (news - web sites) praised the plan on
Wednesday as "a first essential step" and said he hoped Sharon
would extend it to the West Bank.
