Israeli Prime Minister Mr Ariel Sharon would lose a leadership battle in his Likud party against rival Mr Benjamin Netanyahu if a vote was held now, two opinion polls showed this morning.
Mr Netanyahu resigned as finance minister on Sunday in protest at Mr Sharon's plan to withdraw Jewish settlers from occupied Gaza as part of a so-called disengagement plan from conflict with the Palestinians.
The daily Maarivnewspaper said a poll commissioned by Channel 10 television showed Mr Netanyahu would get 42.1 per cent of the votes in a leadership run-off and Sharon 27.7 per cent.
A poll commissioned by the Haaretznewspaper put Netanyahu on 35 per cent and Sharon on 29.1 per cent.
Mr Uzi Landau, head of an anti-pullout faction in Likud, was on 17.3 per cent.
Opinion polls show most Israelis back the withdrawal, but settlers and their supporters say it rewards a Palestinian uprising and betrays Israel's claims on biblical lands.
Jewish settlers in Gaza live in heavily fortified enclaves isolated from 1.4 million Palestinians. The World Court has called the settlements illegal. Israel disputes this.