blood stained general elections Tuesday, January 28, as his main left leaning opponent conceded defeat.
Labor Party’s candidate for prime minister, Amram Mitzna conceded after his party suffered its heaviest losses in recent memory. Israeli Television channels projected Sharon’s Likud party would receive at least 32 seats, while Labor would get only up to 19 seats in the Knesset, Israel’s Parliament.
The third largest Shinui party was said to have received around 17 seats, Israeli television said.
Sharon’s victory came after at least 7 Palestinians were reportedly killed during raids by Israeli security forces in Palestinian territories, and amid fears from Palestinian Christian families in Bethlehem that Jewish settlers will take away their farms, BosNewsLife learned.
HARD-LINE
The Prime Minister had pledged a hard-line stand towards alleged Palestinian militants, despite concern among opposition Labor party members and the Palestinian Authority that this will further an already volatile situation.
Yet several voters polled by the ICEJ said they decided to support Likud, as the left leaning Labor party was unable to make peace. "I come from a right-wing family, but when I was a student at university, I had new ideals and started out voting for (left leaning candidate) Meretz," said 33-year old Galia, an art teacher.
"But now I have gone right because of the troubles of the past two years. It is a very confusing situation and there seems to be corruption everywhere. To me, the economy is important, but security comes first. And I think the Left is not treating the religious community with enough respect. They are intolerant."
"FEASIBLE ALTERNATIVE"
However a middle-aged Anglo-Jewish couple, Alan and Nadia, voted for Labor as its candidate, Amram Mitzna, "provides the only feasible alternative to the calamity course set by the current government," the ICEJ News Service reported using only their first names.
"At first I was okay with Labor in the unity government under Ariel Sharon, but I grew uncomfortable with it over time. I back Mitzna’s decision not to join Sharon," said Alan. "If Mitzna joins with Sharon, I will never vote Labor again," Nadia added.
Analysts say that Sharon will now face the difficult task of forming a coalition, as Labor has so far refused to cooperate with him in a new government.
