Barak again seeks Clinton's help in getting elected
Special to World Tribune.com
MIDDLE EAST NEWSLINE
Sunday, December 3, 2000
TEL AVIV — Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak has launched his
campaign for reelection with the help of U.S. President Bill Clinton.
Barak convened many of the advisers who helped him during the successful
1999 campaign for prime minister. They met in Barak's home on Saturday
and discussed strategy as well as financing.
The meeting was regarded as the prelude for Barak's campaign for
reelection.
But the key step, political sources said, will take place when Clinton's
former campaign
advisers arrive in Israel later this month.
The sources said Stanley Greenberg, Bob Shrum and James Carville will
arrive in Israel around Dec. 16 to officially launch the campaign. The two
were said to have held a decisive role in Barak's election and coordinated
with Clinton during the campaign.
Carville and Greenberg will be responsible for much of the campaign
financing as well as ensuring that Clinton will help Barak during his
reelection effort.
Barak on Saturday made a campaign stop to Tira, an Arab town near Tel
Aviv. The prime minister, in an unusual spurt of activity on the Jewish
Sabbath, relayed a goodwill message to Muslims during the fast month of
Ramadan.
The prime minister's first goal is to ensure that he is the undisputed
candidate of the Labor Party. Barak has demanded that party primaries be
held early next month -- giving his rival, parliamentary speaker Avraham
Burg, little time to organize. Burg has not announced his candidacy.
Sunday, December 3, 2000
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