Shalom declares Likud leadership candidacy
Foreign Minister says Sharon made 'bad mistake' in leaving Likud, says he has 'no other home'
Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom has thrown his hat into the Likud leadership race during a Tel Aviv press conference Tuesday.
He also denounced Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's decision to leave the Likud, calling it a "bad mistake."
"Sharon made a very bad mistake and chose another way. All along, I've always said that the Likud is my home. I have no other home," said Shalom.
"There are moments in which a person reaches the conclusion that he must take action, to initiate, and to win. I've decided to run in order to win," said Shalom.
The foreign minister also made clear that he had no plans at this time to resign from his position.
'No other alternative'
He added that "only the real Likud can bring the State of Israel to a better future, to growth, and to prosperity. Only the real Likud can guard the enlightened values of society together with values of tradition in the Jewish state."
Shalom said that "in recent months I spared no effort to see a united Likud survive. I saw this goal as a supreme value and worked on all possible fronts in order to bridge the gaps that opened up in the party.
“I told the prime minister that I saw the Likud's unity as a major priority. To my great sorrow, the prime minister reached a different political conclusion, but the Likud is stronger than any decision of one person or another, and it can deal with this. From my perspective, there was never another alternative."
