Israel's Labor, Likud Fail to Agree on Election Date

Israel's ruling Labor party and the major opposition Likud failed to agree on a date for early elections after hours of discussions Wednesday, December 6.

According to Israel Radio reports, the meeting was attended by two teams led respectively by Ophir Pines-Paz, whip of the One Israel coalition, which the Labor is the backbone, and Reuven Rivlin, whip of the Likud parliamentary caucus.

At the end of the meeting, however, the two sides agreed to meet again on the issue next Monday.

Labor leader and Prime Minister Ehud Barak, whose coalition now only controls 30 seats in the 120-member Knesset (parliament), conceded to the opposition parties' demands to hold early elections during a Knesset debate on November 28.

The elections were tentatively set to take place next spring, in March or May 2001, two years ahead of schedule.

Rivlin told reporters Tuesday night that he and his labor counterparts have agreed to May 22 as the election day, which he claimed also got the approval of the ultra-Orthodox Shas party, the third largest faction after the Labor and Likud in the Knesset.

However, it turned out to be a too-optimistic announcement, because during Wednesday's meeting various dates were raised form March 6 to May 22.

Shas' opposition to May 22 was reportedly the major reason for the decision to be put on hold. The party hopes the elections be held as early as possible.

It was also revealed that even Barak now reconsiders his decision to call an early election, as it appears that his major political rival, former hardline Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, would soundly defeat him if opinion poll results prove true.

Barak met Ariel Sharon, the Likud leader who wants to prevent Netanyahu from entering the race, Tuesday night to update him on the security and diplomatic situation.

But it was obvious that the two also discussed the possibility to join force in a national emergency coalition, which will put off the elections.

Sharon succeeded Netanyahu after the hardline former premier was trounced by Barak in the 1999 national elections. But recent polls showed that Sharon would be crushed by Netanyahu in Likud's primaries.






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