World

Barak Wins One, Loses One In Israel

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

July 31, 2000 / 8:40 AM EDT / CBS

Prime Minister Ehud Barak narrowly survived a no-confidence motion in parliament just after he was served a stunning blow to his government when a little-known opposition leader defeated former Prime Minister Shimon Peres in Israel's presidential election.

In his first public comments after Monday's defeat, Peres told Israel army radio Tuesday that he is not dwelling on failure. Instead, he is dedicating himself to peace between Israel and the Palestinians and retaining his minor Cabinet post as minister for regional development.

He predicted Israel would face elections in three months, and that every effort must be made to conclude a peace deal with the Palestinians by then.

"The main question facing me this morning is: What can we do so that the peace process will not fall from our hands?" he said. "That would be a tragedy for generations."

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat said in an interview published on Tuesday that he intends to declare an independent Palestinian state on time on September 13, regardless of outside pressure.

Arafat spoke to the Saudi dailies Okaz and Saudi Gazette during a visit to the kingdom earlier this week to discuss the failed Camp David peace talks with Israel.

Asked if he intended to delay the declaration of a a Palestinian state, Arafat said: "Never, never. There is no retreat on the fixed timetable of the declaration of the state."

President Clinton has said he opposes any unilateral move by Arafat and warned that Washington will review its entire relationship with the Palestinians if such a step is taken.

But Arafat said he had already delayed declaring a Palestinian state once, heeding U.S. calls.

Monday's vote is just the latest of several recent no-confidence motions against Barak. Hard-liners and other critics are furious over Barak's willingness to concede land to the Palestinians in exchange for peace.

The motion was brought by the opposition Likud party. It accuses Barak of endangering Israel by agreeing to far-reaching concessions to the Palestinians during the Camp David peace talks, which collapsed last week.

Barak will not face another serious parliamentary challenge until October, when the Knesset reconvenes. A peace agreement with the Palestinians is due by Sept. 13.

Barak acknowledged Monday that he does not command a parliamentary majority for such an agreement now, but said he was confident the mood would shift under public pressure once an actual accord was presented to the Israeli people.

Right-wing candidate Moshe Katzav was elected Israel's president by parliament by a margin of 63 to 57 in a second round of voting, said parliamentary speaker Avraham Burg.

The second vote was required because in the first vote, neither candidate won the 61 votes needed in the 120-member parliament to secure a seven-year term in the largely ceremonial post. Katzav had led 60-57 in the first vote.

Katzav, 54, has been invoved in national politics for 23 years. He has served as deputy prime minister and minister for transport and tourism.

Katsav Monday after his election.

He is one of the leading members of the opposition rightist Likud party, which has taken a harder line than Prime Minister Ehud Barak in peace talks with the Palestinians. Barak had backed Peres, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, in the presidential election.

The victory of Iranian-born Moshe Katsav of the opposition Likud Party spelled a humiliating end to Peres' half-century political career.

CBS News Correspondent Robert Berger reports that Peres had been the front-runner in the race for president, and was the public's favorite. Informal opinion surveys had given him a two-to-one lead over Katsav, who never rose above second-tier Cabinet posts in his 23 years in politics.

The 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.