for about 10 years, people that were in favor of some compromise and realized that eventually we will have to give up at least some of the territories, still voted likud.

It was the likud's choice to either do what these voters want (which to slowly progress toward some compromise) or lose their votes. By choosing Sharon as their leader after he's already indicated his movement to the left, the likud initially made the first choice. Now they are making the second one.