Barak back on campaign trail

JERUSALEM - Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak rolls up his sleeves this week to focus on a re-election campaign for a February 6 showdown against hawk Ariel Sharon, after sidelining peace negotiations with the Palestinians.

Barak quashed speculation he would hold a summit with Palestinian President Yasser Arafat in Sweden later in the week, by calling off all contacts between Israeli and Palestinian officials related to peace talks until after the election.

But Arafat, after talks in Davos, Switzerland, with United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, said he was still committed to the peace process despite a hardline speech he gave earlier.

"We don't want a breakdown in the peace process.

"We will continue with the peace process despite the difficulties we are facing," Arafat said, adding that he would be prepared to meet Barak before the Israeli elections.

Arafat was due to meet Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm El-Sheikh.

Barak told reporters his decision to temporarily halt peacemaking contacts was taken to "clear the way to go now towards the election."

Political analysts believe Barak will need a small miracle to fend off Sharon, who opinion polls estimate holds a nearly unbeatable 16 to 18 per cent lead over the Israeli leader who won in a landslide 21 months ago. Barak's hopes for a campaign-boosting breakthrough in peace talks were crushed when Israeli and Palestinian officials ended negotiations in Taba, Egypt, at the weekend with a joint statement saying they were closer then ever to a deal.

But a leading pollster said the Taba negotiations had done nothing to help Barak's chances at the polls.

The negotiations took place amid some controversy in Israel over the decision by Barak's minority, caretaker Government to conduct 11th-hour talks.

- REUTERS

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