Excerpts: Israeli PM Ariel Sharon

Ariel Sharon says the Likud party can no longer give hope to Israel

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has said he is leaving the governing Likud party he helped found in order to form a new political party.

The following are excerpts from his statement:

This morning, I met with the president of the state and asked his authority to dissolve the parliament and to go for new elections as soon as possible.

Thereafter, I began with my friends, who showed great courage and national responsibility, to start a new national liberal movement in Israel.

... After great hesitation, I decided to leave the Likud. The Likud, in its current format, cannot lead Israel to its aims, to its national aims.

I founded the Likud in order to serve a national idea and to give hope to the people of Israel. Unfortunately, this is no longer there.

If I had stayed, I could have won the primaries and led the Likud to victory in the election.

This would have been the more sure step personally but this is not the way to serve the people of Israel.

Staying in the Likud would have meant wasting time fighting political battles instead of working for the good of the nation.

I prefer the good of the nation over personal interest and over comfort and ease.

... The new party we have created will serve the people of Israel for many years to come. It will be a new home for all Israelis that want to act with responsibility.

I call to all of you who believe in this to join us and go forward with us. We are moving forward. Our way will give Israel a new hope, a true hope for stable democracy.

...We will work to set the permanent border of the nation while insisting on the dismantling of terrorist groups.

Our approach will give Israel a real national responsibility, permanent, stable governance, economic prosperity, peace and tranquillity. This is what the Israeli people need today.

We have two tasks facing us. One is to lay the foundations for a peace settlement... I'm talking about the roadmap.

Disengagement provided us with a historic opportunity and I do not intend to allow anyone to miss this opportunity.

Our new task is to organise our own home and to act decisively on the issue of poor people, with poor education and crime and violence.

This we cannot do with promises, this we can only do with actions. I have started this and I will complete it.

I have served the state of Israel for 60 years now. I know its borders, its coasts, even its smells - and particularly I know and love the citizens of this country.

The citizens of Israel deserve a leadership that acts primarily for their benefit and not for narrow political interest - responsible and brave leadership that can work from a strategic position for the future of the state of Israel.