JERUSALEM, Jan. 8 (UPI) -- Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's collapse has triggered a political battle over his succession.
The Sunday Times of London reported that Benjamin Netanyahu, leader of the right-wing Likud party, along with Ehud Olmert -- Sharon's deputy -- are high-profile candidates.
Within a day of Sharon's stroke last Wednesday, Netanyahu met with aides and resolved to seize the unexpected opportunity to return to power. the newspaper said.
The Likud party has been in a shambles since an internal rebellion against the pullout from Gaza. Sharon walked out and formed the new Kadima party, leaving Netanyahu to pick up the Likud leadership.
Kadima looked set win a general election scheduled for March 28, the times said, and there were widespread expectations that Sharon would use victory as a mandate for a partial pullout from the West Bank.
Polls at the end of last week still showed Kadima and Olmert -- who has been named acting prime minister -- as favorites. Many commentators do not trust such findings, however, ascribing them to the emotional reaction caused Sharon's collapse.
