Barak Survives a Challenge, Faces Another

July 31, 2000 -- Israel’s beleaguered Prime Minister Ehud Barak overcame one challenge today when his government survived a no-confidence vote, but was faced with another when a little-known opposition lawmaker won an upset victory for the presidency.

The victory of Iranian-born Moshe Katsav of the opposition Likud Party spelled a humiliating end to ex-Prime Minister Shimon Peres’ half-century political career and dealt peace efforts another blow following the collapse of peace talks at the Camp Davidsummit last week.

As a member of the hawkish Likud party, Katsav opposes far-reaching concessions to the Palestinians, including the creation of a Palestinian state.

Hours later, Barak’s teetering minority government survived a motion of no-confidence over his willingness to make land concessions to the Palestinians.

Parliament voted 50-50 with eight abstentions, a result that fell short of the 61 votes needed in the 120-seat Knesset to topple the government. Some deputies did not attend the session.

It was the second time Barak had survived a no-confidence vote in less than a month. Both votes were called over his attempts to secure a peace deal with the Palestinians.

A Long Reprieve

Despite the new blows to his prestige, Barak is now free topursue his peace agenda unhampered by parliamentary maneuvers. TheKnesset does not meet again until October, giving Barak time tobuild support for the concessions to the Palestinians proposed attalks at Camp David, especially handing them some control over EastJerusalem.

The Israelis and Palestinians have set a deadline of Sept. 13for a final peace agreement resolving thorny issues includingcontrol of Jerusalem, the borders of a Palestinian state and thefate of Palestinian refugees who want to return to their formerhomes in what is now Israel.

Barak told the legislators that while he could not command amajority in parliament for a peace accord now, he was confident themood would shift once a deal is presented to the Israeli people. Hehas long maintained that he has popular support, despite hispolitical problems.

In a voice husky with emotion, Barak accused the opposition anddefectors from his coalition of following their own narrowinterests, rather than the public good.

“I turn to each and every one of you and say, ‘Rise abovesmall-minded politics in order to bring peace to Israel,’” Baraktold the legislators before the vote.

Hanan Ashrawi, a legislator in the Palestinian parliament, saidthe three-month respite gives Barak a chance to move moredecisively in the peace negotiations.

“They can rescue peace from the jaws of disaster should theywish to use this time wisely,” she told Associated PressTelevision News.

Barak commands the loyalty of only 42 Knesset members, butanother 20 have said they would not topple his government overpeace moves.

Among those abstaining in the no-confidence vote was Barak’sdisgruntled foreign minister, David Levy, who has accused Barak ofshutting him out of the peace negotiations and making too manyconcessions.

Levy has threatened to resign by Wednesday unless the primeminister makes a serious effort to bring the opposition Likud partyinto the government. During today’s vote, Levy and Barak satside-by-side in the row in the plenum reserved for Cabinetministers, but did not speak to each other.

A Protest Against Peacemaking

Earlier Monday, Peres, a former prime minister, was defeated byIranian-born Moshe Katsav, a legislator from Likud, in a stunningupset. Peres had been considered a shoo-in and was the clearfavorite of the Israeli public, according to informal opinionsurveys.

Israel’s presidency is largely ceremonial, but the incumbent —Ezer Weizman, who was forced to resign because of fraud allegations — has used the prestige of the post in support of Mideast peace efforts.

Peres, a Nobel Peace Prize winner who led his reluctant nation to negotiations with the Palestinians in 1993, had been expected to turn the presidency into a platform for assisting thenegotiators.

Hawkish legislators said today’s presidential vote was aprotest against Barak’s peace policies and that they did not expecthis government to survive much longer.

“I think this is another stage in the revolution that will takeplace in the next few months when there will be elections and theright-wing camp will return to power,” said Shaul Yahalom of theNational Religious Party, one of three factions that quit Barak’scoalition ahead of this month’s inconclusive Mideast summit at CampDavid.

Responding to the no-confidence motion, Barak told parliament hestill enjoys the broad backing of the Israeli people. Heacknowledged that at the moment he does not have a majority inparliament for a peace agreement, but said he expects the mood toshift under public pressure once an actual accord is presented.

“The people of Israel will see who does not want a responsiblegovernment that will take the country forward,” he told oppositionlegislators.

People’s Favorite, Denied

Peres had been the front-runner in the race for president, andwas the public’s favorite. However, in two rounds of voting today,Katsav won 63 votes in the 120-member parliament, compared to only57 for Peres.

After the first round, Peres wandered slowly back into theplenum, his hands in his pocket and an expression of shock and hurton his face.

Legislator Eli Goldschmidt of Peres’ One Israel faction said itwas difficult to see the pain of Israel’s elder statesman.“Apparently, a person’s greatness does not necessarily translateinto an ability to win elections,” he said.

Katsav, the jubilant winner, promised in an acceptance speech topromote national unity — a difficult task in Israel, a nation rifewith divisions between rich and poor, religious and secular, Jewsand Arabs, new immigrants and veteran residents.

Katsav started his career as Israel’s youngest mayor in 1969, when he was 24. He was elected to the parliament in 1977 androse to tourism minister and deputy prime minister. Born in Iran,he presented himself as the representative of Israelis of MiddleEast origin.

A Topsy-Turvy Political Career

Peres had counted on the support of many of the 22 religiouslawmakers. When he was prime minister, his governments wereconsistently generous to the ultra-Orthodox, a chronicallyimpoverished sector of Israel’s society; in addition, Peres’ wife,Sonya, is herself Orthodox.

However, officials in the ultra-Orthodox Shas party said all 17legislators of the faction supported Katsav. They said that onSunday, Shas’ spiritual leader, nonagenarian Rabbi Yitzhak Kadouri,had a vision that Katsav was favored by the heavens. As a result,Kadouri’s aides called nearly all legislators and urged them tovote for Katsav.

Also, the ultra-Orthodox have identified more with the Likud’sforeign policy in recent years, and many see Katsav — who himselfis religiously observant — as the more sympathetic candidate.

Peres has had a topsy-turvy political career, holding nearly allof Israel’s top jobs over the years, but also losing four of fiveelections for prime minister.

He served as prime minister three times, twice succeeding hislongtime political rival, Yitzhak Rabin, and once in a rotationagreement after a deadlocked election. He is seen both as avisionary marching far ahead of his people and a mercilesspolitician.

In 1993, Peres was the driving force behind Israel’sbreakthrough agreement of mutual recognition with the PLO, and henegotiated subsequent interim peace agreements.

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report