Besieged Barak Wants Fresh Mandate

Embattled Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak said he would resign on Sunday and stand for re-election in 60 days for a fresh mandate to seek peace with Palestinians amid the worst Middle East violence in years.

Barak said he wanted to reconfirm his leadership role in peace efforts because Israel was undergoing an emergency following 10 weeks of Israeli-Palestinian bloodshed in which more than 300 people, mostly Palestinians, have been killed.

"I know that we must find every chance to reach in the near future a peace agreement with our neighbors," Barak said at a hastily convened news conference on Saturday evening.

"Tomorrow morning I will officially inform the president of my decision to resign and to stand in special elections as the head of the Labor Party for prime minister of Israel."

Under Israeli law, parliament will not dissolve itself and Barak's opponents for a prime ministerial vote must be sitting assembly members.

He will therefore avoid a face-off with ex-prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who opinion polls say would win an election.

Barak said he made his decision in consultation with his family over Friday night dinner. He said Israel would be consequently spared of full general elections for both the prime ministership and the Knesset (parliament) at a time when the country's security was so fragile.

"I see no need to drag the country into unnecessary elections," he said.

Barak, leading a minority government, will remain as caretaker prime minister until the elections take place.

Peace efforts have been at a standstill since the collapse of U.S.-mediated talks at Camp David in July and the subsequent start in late September of a Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation in the West Bank and Gaza.

The violence, in which 258 Palestinians, 13 Israeli Arabs and 38 Israelis have been killed, has sharply raised tensions between the Jewish state and Arab countries.

Barak said that if parliament now chose to dissolve itself, then a suitable date would be found for full prime ministerial and parliamentary general elections.

The move for so-called special elections for prime minister would reduce any challenge to Barak's Labor Party leadership. He would likely stand in the election against right-wing Likud chief Ariel Sharon.

Barak's resignation would take effect only 48 hours after he submits it on Sunday. Analysts said many twists and turns could happen in Israeli politics in that time, possibly leading to the withdrawal of his resignation.

Barak said he decided to resign after he realized that his recent calls for a national unity government to tackle the Palestinian uprising had fallen on deaf ears.

The beleaguered Israeli leader has been criticized for his handling of the Palestinian Intifada (uprising), which broke out in the vacuum left by deadlocked peace talks.

"Israel needs special new eletions so we have a new government with a renewed mandate and belief so we can stand before the challenges in front of us," Barak said.

"It is the real referendum for the path of peace and for the path of the state of Israel."

©2000 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed