Israel: Barak resigns to outflank rivals

JERUSALEM - Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, trying to outflank his political rivals, plans to resign today and seek a fresh electoral mandate to negotiate peace with Palestinians amid the worst Middle East violence in years.

The embattled Israeli leader plunged already moribund Middle East peace efforts into fresh uncertainty on Saturday by announcing he would resign less than two years into his term and stage elections for the prime ministership within 60 days.

``We must find every chance to reach in the near future a peace agreement with our neighbours,'' Barak said, adding the vote would be ``a referendum for the path of peace''.

Barak said he wanted to reconfirm his leadership role in efforts to end decades of Israeli-Palestinian conflict because Israel was in an emergency situation following 10 weeks of violence which has shattered peacemaking hopes.

At least 309 people, mainly Palestinians, have died in the violence.

``Israel needs special new elections so we have a new government with a renewed mandate and belief so we can stand before the challenges in front of us,'' Barak said.

In Washington, the White House said his announcement was an internal matter for the Israeli people, but the United States remained committed to ending the violence and bringing Israel and the Palestinians back to the negotiating table.

By deciding to quit now, Barak, 58, launched a pre-emptive strike against right-wing rival Benjamin Netanyahu, the former prime minister who opinion polls showed could defeat him in a rematch of the 1999 general election.

Under Israeli law, only members of parliament can run for prime minister in a special election. Netanyahu gave up his parliamentary seat and leadership of the main opposition Likud party after Barak trounced him last year.

Netanyahu's successor at Likud's helm, Ariel Sharon, Israel's leading hawk and Barak's likely main challenger, will have a tougher time against Barak at the ballot box, according to the opinion polls.
Sharon said he was surprised by Barak's decision and pledged to win the vote.

Palestinian leaders said Barak's decision was an internal Israeli matter but showed the Jewish state was in crisis as a result of stalled peace efforts.

- REUTERS

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