JERUSALEM, Oct. 4 (Xinhuanet) -- More than 300 members of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Likud Party signed a petition,calling for electing a new party leader, local newspaper Jerusalem Post reported Monday.

   "We want someone who will respect the will of the party," Likud member Uri Faraj was quoted as saying.

   Faraj said 300 members of the Likud's powerful central committee, including some cabinet ministers and lawmakers, signed the petition.

   They plan to present the petition to the party court, which could order early primaries.

   The Likud central committee has some 2,000 members, so the gesture was mostly symbolic, said the newspaper, adding if the petition fails, Likud primaries will be held shortly before the next general elections which are set for November, 2006.

   Sharon is facing strong resistance from within his own right-wing Likud party and fierce opposition of Jewish settlers for hisso-called disengagement plan, under which all Jewish settlers and troops are to be evacuated from the Gaza Strip by the end of 2005.Enditem