Mit oder ohne Mordechais Unterstützung:
EIN ISRAEL hofft auf Sieg in der ersten Runde
By Yossi Verter, Ha'aretz Political Correspondent
© copyright
1999 Ha'aretz. All Rights Reserved
Competing theories are being bandied about in One Israel
regarding Ehud Barak's chances of winning the race for prime minister in the
first round and how Yitzhak Mordechai's candidacy or withdrawal would affect
these chances.
 Some
figures in One Israel are lobbying for Barak to approach Mordechai with
a "serious offer" in order to persuade the Center Party leader to drop
out of the race for prime minister before the first round of elections
on May 17. Such a route would include Barak offering Mordechai the
Defense portfolio since "the possibility of removing Netanyahu from
power next week is worth any price."
Barak believes, however, that Mordechai should make the decision
to step out of the race on his own, and that any public or secret call
for him to join ranks would only make Mordechai more determined to stay
in the race.
Meanwhile, sources close to Barak suspect that this more passive
strategy could change if, during the last days of the campaign, it
becomes apparent that Mordechai's support would guarantee Barak a first
round victory. Other figures in One Israel are becoming convinced that
Barak can defeat Netanyahu in the first round even if Mordechai stays in
the race. This view is based on the premise that Mordechai would only
take votes away from Netanyahu. Another reason behind this first-round
optimism is the assumption that MK Azmi Bishara will withdraw his prime
ministerial candidacy.
If Barak is, nonetheless, forced into a second round, his
advisers are confident that he can meet with the newly elected Knesset
factions but still stay above the fray, while Netanyahu, whose
credibility is widely questioned, will be forced to get involved in the
nitty-gritty of written coalition agreements.
 
haGalil onLine -
Montag 10-05-99 |
