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Israel's Likud Rules out Netanyahu Stepping Aside

Associated Press

   JERUSALEM - Lawmakers from Israel's ruling Likud party say they will
   only accept Benjamin Netanyahu as the party's candidate for prime
   minister, "regardless of the election results.''

   Netanyahu's party issued a statement Sunday saying that all of its
   Knesset members signed a "unity petition" affirming that Netanyahu "is
   the only Likud candidate for prime minister - and there will be no
   other candidate."

   The move appeared aimed at quashing any demand by potential coalition
   partners that Netanyahu step down.

   Netanyahu passed David Ben-Gurion last month as Israel's longest
   serving prime minister and seeks re-election for a fourth consecutive
   term. Israel is holding an unprecedented repeat election on September
   17 after Netanyahu failed to form a government following April's vote.

   He also faces a pre-indictment hearing in a series of corruption cases.

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