Israeli voters firmly rejected the peace camp yesterday by re-electing Ariel Sharon as prime minister and driving the Labour party to its worst ever defeat, according to normally reliable exit polls.
Sharon’s victory seemed likely to push Israel even further to the right as he grapples to put together a coalition administration after Labour rejected his pleas to revive the national unity government of the past two years.
Exit polls by Israeli television stations varied considerably, but they all gave Likud a commanding lead with up to 36 seats in the 120-seat knesset. The Labour party, which dominated Israeli politics for the first 30 years of the Jewish state’s existence, slumped to about 18 seats after a campaign which promised an early end to the occupation of Palestinian territory and immediate peace talks.
Labour barely hung on to second place in the face of the rise of a virulently secular party, Shinui. It was expected to take about 15, pushing the ultra-religious Shas into fourth.
According to the exit polls, Sharon’s right-wing bloc will have a majority of 15 or more seats in the knesset, but he will be hostage to ultra-orthodox and extremist parties opposed to any deal with the Palestinians that involves surrendering land or closing Jewish settlements.
Many Israelis demonstrated their frustration at the third election in less than four years by staying away from the polls. The central elections commission said it appeared the turnout was the lowest ever in an Israeli election, which typically attract more than 70%.
”I hope this will be the last time we will have elections in the next four years,” Sharon said as he voted at a Jerusalem school.
That was far from assured last night following Labour’s rejection of Sharon’s offer. He may now be forced to seek a deal with Shinui or a possible breakaway Labour faction in favour of a national unity government.
But any of these arrangements are expected to be highly unstable and result in another election as early as next year.
The Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, appealed for Israelis to ”vote for the peace of the brave”, essentially an endorsement of Labour. One of his ministers, Saeb Erekat, said that whatever government was formed he held out little prospect of a peace settlement. ”I think all indications are that things will get worse. I don’t see any sign of reviving hope or reviving the peace process,” he said.
As Israelis voted, seven Palestinians were killed in the occupied territories. Three died in an explosion in a house near Gaza city, while four were shot in Jenin amid curfews. – Guardian Unlimited Â