Barak calls snap Israeli election

By ERIC SILVER

JERUSALEM - The Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Barak, under heavy pressure from the right, has unexpectedly announced a snap general election for a new prime minister and parliament.

Mr Barak was elected in May last year, but has faced harsh criticism in recent weeks over his handling of peace talks and over the continuing uprising by Palestinian protesters.

Opinion polls suggest he will be roundly defeated by his opponents – his predecessor as Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and the hawkish right-wing politician Ariel Sharon.

Mr Barak has tried to lure Mr Sharon into a government of national emergency. But Mr Sharon has rebuffed his attempts, and said yesterday he was no longer interested in apartnership with Mr Barak.

The Prime Minister's announcement appeared to be intended to give the impression he was still in control.

His speech came during a debate in the Israeli parliament on early elections, which looked set to force him to go to the polls.

"I do not flinch from elections," Mr Barak said. "I have always won elections. If you say you want elections, I say let there be elections, for Prime Minister and for the Knesset."

Mr Barak blamed Mr Sharon for torpedoing efforts to set up a unity government, and said he was not prepared to give Mr Sharon a veto over peace efforts.

He did not say when the elections would take place.

The debate was to be followed by three plenary votes on early elections. This meant Mr Barak theoretically still had some manoeuvring room. But it became clear that the vote for early elections was inevitable.

Mr Sharon repeated his rejection of compromises over the status of Jerusalem.

Mr Barak said he hoped to work out an agreement with the Palestinians which he could present to the electorate at the next elections.

But he has also said peace talks cannot resume until violence comes to an end.

In two months of clashes, more than 280 people have been killed, mostly Palestinians.

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