'Call-up' notice makes point in election fight

JERUSALEM - "You are ordered to show up for reserve duty on February 7, 2001."

It was just a pre-election ruse - but 250,000 Israelis got a nasty shock when they opened the letters that came into their mail boxes announcing an emergency military call-up.

The letters were sent in Army-issue brown envelopes by a group of army reservists opposed to right-winger Ariel Sharon's bid to become Prime Minister in an election on Tuesday.

The letters quickly reassured the recipients this was not a real call-up. But, urging Israelis to back Prime Minister Ehud Barak in the election, they said a real military call-up notice would soon follow if Sharon became Prime Minister.

The mail blitz, dismissed as a gimmick by Sharon's Likud party, cut to the quick of a campaign in which peace talks and a Palestinian uprising are the major issues and each candidate has portrayed himself as a man of peace.

The words "Tzav 8" were printed on the top of the letters - bringing a chill to many Israelis who serve in the Army reserves, as it means they are being called up for war.

The letters told recipients they had to report for reserve duty on Wednesday, the day after the election, for an unlimited period of time. Then it came clean, bringing sighs of relief from thousands:

"No, this is not an emergency draft notice. But it could definitely be one soon. It could be an emergency draft notice if the person who has already bogged us down in wars and has opposed every step towards peace is in the Prime Minister's office," the letter said.

It reminded Israelis of the war in Lebanon, in which 1000 Israeli troops were killed after an Israeli invasion in 1982 engineered by Sharon, then Defence Minister. Barak finally withdrew the Israeli forces from southern Lebanon last May.

Barak, 58, says he can bring peace after 52 years of conflict with the Palestinians and portrays Sharon as a warmonger.

- REUTERS

Herald Online feature: Middle East

Map of the Middle East

UN: Information on the Question of Palestine

Israel's Permanent Mission to the UN

Palestine's Permanent Observer Mission to the UN

Middle East Daily

Arabic News

Arabic Media Internet Network

Jerusalem Post

Israel Wire

US Department of State - Middle East Peace Process