TEL AVIV, Jan 22: A defiant Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon told cheering right-wing supporters on Thursday he had no intention of resigning as prosecutors considered indicting him over allegations a businessman friend bribed him.

But an opinion poll suggested that if charges were brought, the former general, who made a remarkable political comeback from controversy over bloodshed in Lebanon two decades ago, may have little choice but to bow to public pressure and step down.

Beaming with confidence, Mr Sharon, head of the rightist Likud party, vowed to remain prime minister at least until the next general election is due to be held in 2007.

"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," Ariel Sharon told the Likud's youth movement in Tel Aviv, prompting loud cheers from the crowd.

A Tel Aviv court charged land developer and political kingmaker David Appel on Wednesday with trying to bribe Mr Sharon, but the prime minister - who has denied wrongdoing in corruption scandals swirling around him - made no mention of the allegations in his first televised appearance since then.

Mr Sharon's political future could be in question as he awaits a decision from prosecutors, who have indicated they will decide within weeks or months whether to indict him.

An opinion poll in the Maariv newspaper after David Appel was indicted found that 53 per cent of Israelis believe Mr Sharon was involved in misconduct and 63 per cent would want him to step down if this were proven.

Moshe Negbi, senior legal analyst for Israel Radio, put the chance of an indictment against the prime minister at 50-50. The case against David Appel relates to a period in the 1990s when Mr Sharon was foreign minister and also involves the Israeli leader's son, Gilad, and deputy prime minister Ehud Olmert. Mr Appel has asserted his innocence in the case, which has yet to show evidence Mr Sharon knowingly accepted money for political favours.-Reuters