The Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Barak, has portrayed his political opponent, Ariel Sharon, as a warmonger whose policies could isolate the country from the international community. The latest opinion polls in the elections for the Israeli Premiership, which are to be held on Tuesday, show Mr Barak trailing Mr Sharon, by between 17 and 21 points.
Mr Barak also said that he would not consider going into a coalition government with extremists. Less than a week before the February 6 election, Barak looks likely to suffer a crushing defeat at the hands of his hard-line rival, Sharon. Barak’s reputation as the army's former top general and an elite commando has been eclipsed by the failed peace process and the wave of violence that has swept the region for the past four months, claiming nearly 400 lives.
He tendered his resignation in December to trigger the very election he is now almost certain to lose. At the time, Barak looked to have seized the initiative from political opponents seeking to dissolve parliament and hold early general elections.
Meanwhile, Yasser Arafat’s Fatah faction has said that it will escalate its uprising against Israel after the election, regardless of who is prime minister. Palestinians see little difference between Ehud Barak and Ariel Sharon.
Speaking to the Reuters News Agency a prominent Fatah official questioned how much worse Sharon could be. “Maybe Sharon has little to add to the murders of Palestinians and the assassinations and the oppression ordered by Barak," Marwan al-Barghouthi said. He warned that if Sharon is victorious on Tuesday, "he will soon discover that the security of Israel can't be secured without first ending occupation."
Palestinians hold Sharon responsible for the uprising which so far has claimed the lives of at least 317 Palestinians. Fifty-one Israelis and 13 Israeli Arabs have also died in the violence which began last September.
