This Week

Shaping An Identity

One Hundred

Barak quickly
brought a new
feel to Israeli
politics, the
landscape still
is fraught
with danger.

ERIC SILVER
Israel Correspondent

Jerusalem

hud Barak has never been celebrated for his modesty. Presenting his government to the
Knesset on July 6, the new Israeli prime minister declared: "I believe that this day will be
chronicled as a milestone and a turning point — a time of reconciliation, unity and peace."
He promised to be the "emissary of all Israel's citizens," and to "introduce a new nation-
al order of priorities" with education at the top of the list. In speeches around the country,
he projected himself in Hebrew as "Rosh Hamemshala shel ku u ulam" , e-v-e-r-y-body's
prime minister.
One hundred days later, Israel certainly feels different. The peace process with the
Palestinians, if not yet with the Syrians, is moving. The religious political parties no longer
can topple the prime minister with relative ease. Barak's coalition, unlike that of his Likud
predecessor, Binyamin Netanyahu, governs without twice-weekly crises.

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7

10/15
1999

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