JORDAN: CHANGING FORECASTS DURING ELECTION NIGHT IN ISRAEL LEAVE JORDAN NERVOUS ABOUT PROSPECTS FOR PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Record ID: 399766

  • Title: JORDAN: CHANGING FORECASTS DURING ELECTION NIGHT IN ISRAEL LEAVE JORDAN NERVOUS ABOUT PROSPECTS FOR PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST
  • Date: 30th May 1996
  • Summary: AMMAN, JORDAN (MAY 30, 1996) (RTV(A) - ACCESS ALL) 1. GV AMMAN 0.04 2. MCU MUSTAFA HAMARNEH, DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC STUDIES CENTRE, UNIVERSITY OF AMMAN, SAYING THERE IS A LARGE PART OF ISRAEL SOCIETY WHO DO NOT WANT COMPREHENSIVE PEACE IN THE COUNTRY (ARABIC) 0.25 3. LV STREET TRAFFIC 0.29 4. MCU LABIL KAMHAWA POLITICAL PROFESSOR AT J
  • Embargoed: 14th June 1996 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: AMMAN, JORDAN
  • City:
  • Country: Jordan
  • Reuters ID: LVAATU51SFZ7G6GER0QIH4BD1GYI
  • Story Text: INTRO: Residents of Amman greeted the cliff-hanging results of Israeli elections with trepidation -- many believe a victory for right-wing challenger Benjamin Netanyahu will ruin prospects for peace with the Arab world.

    ------------------------------------------------------------------ A night of rapidly changing forecasts during election night in Israel (May 29-30) left Jordan nervous about prospects for peace in the Middle East.

    If the eventual winner is hardline Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu, he has ruled out returning the Golan Heights to Syria and vowed tougher terms for a final settlement of the conflict with Palestinians who have already lost most of the land they once owned.

    When polls closed at 10 p.m. (1900 GMT) on Wednesday, both Israeli television stations said their exit polls showed the contest was too close to call.

    Minutes after Channel One announced the 50-50 deadlock, Israel's commercial Channel Two issued a projection putting Netanyahu narrowly ahead of Prime Minister Shimon Peres.

    This slight advantage continued until all votes from polling stations had been counted -- leaving a day of speculation until about 150,000 votes by prisoners, hospital patients, seamen, diplomats and soldiers.

    Palestinian analyst Labil Kamhawia said: "The results so far tell us that the Israeli Jewish vote is against peace -- and it is not surprising that Netanyahu will be the next Prime Minister of Israel...the only loser in those elections is not Mr. Peres, but (Palestinian President Yasser) Arafat." Mustafa Hamarneh, Director of Strategic Studies Centre, University of Amman said "The results are regretful...and this reflects that a large part of Israeli society does not want comprehensive peace in the country," Some residents of Amman remained more optimistic, however, and said the peace process was unstoppable regardless of the outcome of the Israeli elections.


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