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Barak Survives No-confidence Vote
Prime Minister Ehud Barak survived a no-confidence motion in parliament Monday, beating back a challenge by those opposed to his willingness to concede land to the Palestinians in exchange for peace.
The 120-member parliament voted 50-50, with eight abstentions and 12 legislators not present - 11 votes short of the outright majority needed to oust the government. The vote came on the last day of the Knesset's summer session, so Barak will not face another serious parliamentary challenge until October, when the legislature reconvenes.
Barak is now free to pursue his peace agenda unhampered by parliamentary maneuvers and has time to build support for the concessions to the Palestinians proposed at talks at Camp David, Md., especially on giving them some control over East Jerusalem.
Earlier, Barak suffered a blow to his prestige when his candidate for president, former Prime Minister Shimon Peres, lost in a stunning parliamentary upset to a little-known opposition lawmaker.
The victory of Iranian-born Moshe Katsav of the opposition Likud Party spelled a humiliating end to Peres' half-century political career.
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