Israel's Ariel Sharon said today he would remain prime minister at least until scheduled elections in 2007 after prosecutors said they were considering an indictment in a bribery case.
"I came here as prime minister and the chairman of the Likud party...a position I intend to fill for many years, at least until 2007," he told youth members of his ruling party at a meeting today.
Prosecutors are considering an indictment against Mr Sharon following charges against a businessman friend yesterday for attempting to bribe him.
A Tel Aviv court has charged a property developer linked to the ruling Likud party with trying to bribe Mr Sharon when he held lower government posts in the 1990s. The indictment of Mr David Appel drew opposition calls for Mr Sharon's resignation.
Justice Ministry sources said prosecutors would decide within months if Mr Sharon should be indicted in the case.
No evidence has been produced to show Mr Sharon knowingly accepted money for political favours.
Mr Sharon, leader of the right-wing Likud party, enjoys broad support for his tough handling of a Palestinian uprising. But this popularity has already been corroded by the corruption scandal, set against the background of an economic slump.
An opinion poll in the Maarivnewspaper found that 53 per cent of Israelis believe he was involved in misconduct