World Notes ISRAEL

In a raucous meeting of the right-wing Likud Central Committee last week, Trade and Industry Minister Ariel ("Arik") Sharon stunned the 3,200 delegates by announcing his resignation from the Cabinet. In a scalding attack against the party's leader, Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir, Sharon declared that "under your government, Palestinian terrorism runs wild throughout the land of Israel." He insisted, "I know it is possible to eliminate terror."

Even without Sharon, the peace process remains constrained by Shamir's own uncompromising ideology. Last week he avoided ruling out the participation of Palestinians deported from the West Bank and Gaza in peace talks but vowed not to include East Jerusalem Arabs. Said Sharon to Israeli television: "I certainly see myself as a candidate for Prime Minister, and when the day comes, I will run for this post."