Israelis Choose Tough Sharon with 'Security' on Mind

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, January 29, 2003

Israelis Choose Tough Sharon with 'Security' on Mind

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Israel's general elections concluded Tuesday night, with about 70 percent of the voters casting ballots for the 16th Knesset (parliament). Initial results show that voters have once again chosen the incumbent tough Prime Minister Ariel Sharon at the helm of the state.

The preliminary tally gave the right-wing Likud party led by Sharon a sweeping win of 36 seats in the 120-member Knesset, making it the first leading party in the parliament.

The Labor party, the No. 1 in the former parliament, fell behind with only 18 seats in Tuesday's race.

Sharon's victory was within the estimations of opinion polls, but people still wonder why Sharon has got so much popularity among the voters since he has achieved almost nothing and failed to realize any of his promises in his last two years of office.

During his last term of office, the Israelis experienced the bloodiest conflict with Palestinians, in which more than 700 Israelis lost their lives and thousands more wounded. There is still no light at the end of the dark tunnel with the same leader declared the winner for another mandate.

Not only did Sharon fail to bring security to his countrymen, nor did he make good on the pledged prosperity. During his last tenure, unemployment rose to 10.4 percent, the standard of living declined by 6.5 percent and economic growth stood at minus 1.8 percent. The Israeli economy has entered its worst period since 1953.

In the last elections in 2001, Sharon trumpeted that "only Sharon can bring peace to Israel." He changed the slogan into "Israelis need Sharon" this year.

Reuven Hazan, professor of political science of the Hebrew University, said "the Israelis have chosen Sharon" for several reasons.

He said when people dare not go to cafeterias, take buses or even walk on the university campus, what they care about is "security, security and security."

A shop owner in downtown Jerusalem told Xinhua that his business has been getting worse and worse in these two years. But "the economy is not too important if you don't have security," he said.

"Every shopping center you go to has guards at the entrance, and every cafeteria you go to. Anyone who has been in Israel understands that life here is a war situation," he added.

Hazan said, "In economic construction, the voters will choose an economic expert to be their leader, while in a battle field, they will choose a tough and brave general to command them."

To end the conflict, the Israelis have three options in their minds, military force, negotiation and unilateral separation from the Palestinians. The electorate cast their votes according to the choices of these three options.

Electing hawkish Sharon means the voters have chosen military force. Though Sharon and the Likud are the winner of the election, many Israeli feel they have little to celebrate.

A driver who has shuttled back and forth to campaign events as part of his job summed up this peculiar election race: "This is the first election campaign in which everyone promises that things are going to get worse. This at least is one election promise we know they will keep."

As the Labor party, headed by Amram Mitzna, has vowed to boycott Sharon-led government, Sharon might be forced to form a right-ring coalition, with the Likud to be joined by the ultra-nationalist and ultra-Orthodox parties.

Sharon's associates admitted that a right-wing coalition will be the last option for Sharon, because he knows very well that such a government will have a lot of troubles both from inside and outside and it won't last long.

Observers believe that if Sharon achieved very little in his last term, he will achieve nothing more in the next government.

In a right-wing government, Sharon is expected to face the direct blackmails from the small religious parties either on the Palestinian issue or on any economic problems.

The government would also have to brace for the pressure from the outside world, especially from Israel's closest ally, the United States.

The Palestinians are much disappointed, too, with the results of the elections. Palestinian Chief Negotiator Saeb Erekat said "the election result shows Israelis are preparing themselves for more violence and escalation, and they are not for peace process." Palestinian Information Minister Yasser Abed Rabbo said: "The result is a heavy blow to a peaceful settlement, and it is a bad news for the peace process and the Palestinians."

Some analysts also warned against excessive pessimism, citing a latest poll showing some 60 percent of Israelis are in favor of establishing a Palestinian state and making concessions to the Palestinians when time is right.

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