minister can ask Labor to join him in
a national unity government for
peace. This would be terrifically pop-
ular with the public, and politically
difficult for Labor to turn down.
So bringing down Netanyahu
means calling new elections, and the
right wing has no candidate who
approaches him in popularity. Infra-
structure Minister Ariel Sharon is
leading the charge, but he likely has
too extreme an image to attract the
all-important electoral center.
The prime minister is even less
threatened by the opposition. Barak,
whose poll ratings are steadily drop-
ping, now trails Netanyahu by about
7 percent. Trying desperately to por-
tray himself as centrist and not a cap-
tive of the liberal Meretz, Labor's
main coalition partner from 1992-96,
Barak's politics now seem indistin-
guishable from Netanyahu's. As the
prime minister was refusing the
American and Palestinian call to with-
draw from 13 percent of the West
Bank, Barak said he would refuse,
too.
As for the Israeli street, it's as quiet
as a Shabbat afternoon in Jerusalem.
Demonstrations by Peace Now and
other left-wing groups can hardly
attract more than a few hundred well-
behaved people to chant — with
audible lack of conviction — "Bibi go
home." Peace Now leader Mussi Raz
lamented, "Unfortunately, you can
only get masses of people out to
protest after the violence breaks out,
not before."
Further, last weekend's riots by
Palestinians, in which five of them
were shot to death by Israeli troops,
didn't seem to faze most Israelis. Most
of the public doesn't get too worked
up unless Israelis are being killed.
The public, however, does care
about the country's relations with the
United States. Out of fear of blood-
shed and political isolation, about
two-thirds of Israelis favor the contin-
uation of the. Oslo peace process.
Finally, despite a few horrible inci-
dents, there has been relatively little
terror on Netanyahu's watch. For all
the tremors in his relations with the
Clinton administration, they remain
fundamentally stable.
So Netanyahu is giving most citi-
zens what they want and there is no
viable alternative to him. Thus, with-
out any serious increase in bloodshed
and the United States staying
involved in the peace process, the
prime minister can likely maneuver
as he pleases.
s 225m* 36 MO.
$285m* 36 MO.
$2,000 due at delivery includes $250 security deposit & plate.
$3,200 due at delivery includes $325 security deposit & plate.
wet.
*wee,
•
$285cm* 36 MO.
$31:35m* 36 MO.
$2,000 due at delivery includes $325 security deposit & plate.
$3,425 due at delivery includes $425 security deposit & plate.
",rISMVIMENEMBigge
";;Nree;W
$39900 * 36 MO.
$2,000 due at delivery includes $425 security deposit & plate.
Plus tax. title & plate, all rebates to dealer
„.—
GLOSSMOM
SOM
On Telegraph at the
Tel-12 Mall, Southfield
354-3300
On Telegraph at the
Tel-12 Mall, Southfield
354-3300
v a,
•
..‘ 1.‘k.
\\; ‘,
,
Get Results... Advertise in our new Entertainment Section!
Call The Sales Department (248) 354-7123 Ext. 209
5/22
1998
43