Barark to Bibi: 'Brothers walk together'

JERUSALEM [Middle East Newsline] -- Prime Minister-elect Ehud Barak on Tuesday opened the door to a government with the Likud Party as aides said he was working toward a broad-based coalition to help Israel through peace talks with Syria and the Palestinians.

Barak won 56 percent of the vote in his successful challenge to incumbent Likud Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.

In his acceptance speech, Barak thanked Netanyahu and stressed national unity. "Whatever disputes we have, we are brothers," Barak said early Tuesday. "And brothers walk together."

"This victory belongs to all of the people of Israel," he said. "From all of you I hear the cry for change. We will reach peace not from weakness but from strength and a feeling of security -- not peace at the expense of security but peace that will bring security."

On Tuesday, Leah Rabin, the wife of the late Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and an ardent supporter of Barak, called for a government with the Likud. Mrs. Rabin said the departure of Netanyahu allows for such a coalition.

On Tuesday, Barak made a pilgrimage to Rabin's tomb in Jerusalem. He pledged to follow Rabin's path. "I see myself in the diplomatic-security and domestic policies as a successor to Yitzhak [Rabin]," Barak said.

A half hour after Israeli exit polls reported a resounding victory for Barak, Netanyahu conceded defeat and said he would resign from the Likud leadership. Some political analysts and Labor Party figures said Netanyahu's resignation from the Likud leadership clears the way for a Labor-Likud government. They said the left-wing partners of the Labor Party barely give that coalition a majority in parliament.

"It has been 20 years that I have been in public service," Netanyahu said. "I still have a lot to contribute to this nation. But I think that it has come time to take a break to be with my family, wife and my small children. So, I am announcing today that I will withdraw from the Likud leadership."

Political analysts said Foreign Minister Ariel Sharon, Jerusalem Mayor Ehud Olmert and Finance Minister Meir Shetreet would be the major contenders for Likud chairman. Shetreet already announced he would seek the Likud leadership.

The analysts said a Labor-Likud partnership would be required to avert Barak's dependence on small parties. The Labor and Likud parties sustained a significant drop in support. Labor won 27 seats and Likud 19 seats, the poorest showing for both parties in several decades.

"There has been a complete change in the political map," Hebrew University political scientist Avraham Diskin said.

Some Labor Party leaders said they could envision a national unity government with a Likud Party that is not led by Netanyahu. "That is a different Likud," Knesset member Binyamin Ben Eliezer of the Labor Party said.

U.S. President Bill Clinton telephoned both Barak and Netanyahu. He congratulated Barak upon his victory and told Netanyahu that he did important work. Clinton told Barak that the United States would provide all necessary support.

Egyptian Hosni Mubarak also congratulated Barak. Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat said he hoped the peace process would be renewed.

The third biggest party was the Orthodox Shas Party. Shas received 17 seats in the Knesset. "I thank God for giving us this," said Shas chairman Arye Deri, who was sentenced to four years in prison on corruption charges.

Political analysts said Barak had two options to compose a coalition. One was to form a center-left coalition that contained Meretz, Shinui, the Workers Party, Yisrael B'Aliya and the Center Party. Another option was to form a center-right coalition that would include the Likud and Shas.

Likud Defense Minister Moshe Arens called for a national unity government between Labor and Likud. "There is no alternative but to establish a national unity government," he told a television interview.

But Likud parliamentarian Uzi Landau said the party should not be quick to make any decision. "The first thing we have to do is house-cleaning," he said. "The nationalist camp is 50 percent who is angry at us."