VARIOUS: ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER EHUD BARAK MAKES FINAL PLEA FOR VOTES AHEAD OF ELECTION.

Record ID: 400579

  • Title: VARIOUS: ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER EHUD BARAK MAKES FINAL PLEA FOR VOTES AHEAD OF ELECTION.
  • Date: 5th February 2001
  • Summary: ON THE ROAD BETWEEN JERUSALEM AND TEL AVIV, ISRAEL (FEBRUARY 5, 2001) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. GV/MV: ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER EHUD BARAK SHAKING HANDS WITH SUPPORTERS WHO ARE CHANTING "VICTORY! VICTORY! VICTORY!" (4 SHOTS) 0.45 2. CU: (SOUNDBITE) (ENGLISH) ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER EHUD BARAK SAYING: "I am not worried. I believe that the last moment o
  • Embargoed: 20th February 2001 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BETWEEN TEL AVIV, ISRAEL AND JERUSALEM / JERUSALEM / NABLUS, WEST BANK
  • City:
  • Country: Palestinian Territories
  • Reuters ID: LVAEVB5DM5PW2ZYSTLHNP8Y6KYBH
  • Story Text: Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, facing an electoral
    thrashing from arch-hawk Ariel Sharon, has told Israelis in a
    final pitch for votes that they must choose between war and
    peace.



    Barak, seeking to avert humiliation in the poll on
    Tuesday (February 5), said the votes cast on the election day
    will decide whether the country will enjoy peace or go through
    "another blood-filled war."
    "I believe that the last moment of contemplation by the
    people of Israel.. that it will bring the people back to the
    ballots, all of them to vote for [what's] their interest and
    they will vote for disengagement with the Palestinians, for
    setting clear limit to extremism and to political settlement
    and set a border that will differentiate between us and the
    Palestinians.. with a strong and clear border there will be
    tranquility, personal security, dignity and mutual respect,"
    Barak said.

    New opinion polls in newspapers put Sharon 18 to 20 points
    ahead of Barak.

    Barak, 58, under fire for failing to make peace or quell a
    Palestinian revolt against Israeli occupation of the West Bank
    and Gaza Strip, has shrugged off the polls, saying Tuesday's
    election is the only one that counts.

    "There is only one poll that we respect and that is the
    poll of tomorrow and we want people of Israel to make up their
    minds and vote for us," Barak said.

    Barak's aggressive electioneering has contrasted sharply
    with the low-key campaign run by Sharon, whose aides said he
    was so confident of victory that he had stopped canvassing
    votes on Monday to focus on preparing to form a new
    government.

    Many voters believe that Sharon, the most hated Israeli in
    the Arab world, will take tough action to deal with the
    violence that has overshadowed the two-month election
    campaign.

    Right wing Knesset member, Benny Elon said Israel needed a
    climate of fear to restore the balance between peace and
    security.

    "I really want to prevent bloodshed, bloodshed of my
    brothers, the Jews, as well as bloodshed of the Arabs because
    if Sharon will return the balance of fear to the area, he will
    prevent bloodshed from both sides," Elon said.

    But Palestinians, who distrust Barak and loathe the former
    army general Sharon, demonstrated against both candidates.

    About 300 Palestinian refugees marched through the Balata
    camp near Nablus in the West Bank on Monday, brandishing
    photos of Barak and Sharon captioned: "Refugees will burn your
    lives."
    Dozens of gunmen fired in the air during the rally while
    protesters set fire to pictures of Barak and Sharon.

    Palestinians demand that Israel allows the return of
    thousands of refugees, made homeless in 1948 and 1967 when
    Israel's took over their land.

    But both Barak and Sharon said they would not allow the
    refugees' return.


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