-

between Israel and Lebanon.
Barak, say observers, is determined
to maintain the momentum of the
negotiations, both on the Syrian and
Palestinian tracks.
He and Yasser Arafat, the president of
the Palestinian Authority, have pledged
to conclude a "framework agreement"
by mid-February. Barak met with Arafat
in Rarnallah last week to try to reassure
him that the breakthrough on the Syrian
track would not mean a slowing of the
pace of Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking.
Regarding Syria and Lebanon, Barak
speaks of a "core agreement" that
would precede a full-fledged peace
treaty. He is said to be striving to attain
this core accord — and submit it to the
Israeli public in a referendum — in the
early part of the new year.
To garner additional support, the
agreement will have to make it clear
that peace will mean full normalization
of relations not only with Israel's imme-
diate neighbors to the north, but also
with Arab states throughout the region.
The Clinton administration is said to
have committed itself to ensuring that
such key Middle Eastern players as
Saudi Arabia and Algeria will make
their peace with the Jewish state simul-
taneously with Syria and Lebanon.
- But even more persuasive for Israeli
public opinion, it is thought, would be a
palpable demonstration that the drawn-
out and bloody embroilment in south
Lebanon is finally coming to an end.
In this context, government sources
have begun suggesting unofficially that
a peace with Syria would translate into
a reduction by at least six months of
the three-year period of military ser-
vice required of every male soldier,
two years for women.
Such persuasion could be critical.
While Barak is exuding confidence
that any referendum will result in a
sweeping majority for peace, his pre-
sent political situation seems to
endanger that sanguine prognosis.
Even if Shas remains in the coali-
tion, the cracks that have been opened
up between the Sephardi party and its
coalition partners — One Israel and
especially the left-wing Meretz — will
not easily or quickly heal.
And although Shas' paramount
spiritual figure, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef,
has been a consistent supporter of
"land-for-peace," many rank-and-file
members of the fervently Orthodox
party bridle at that doctrine.
Recognizing the battles ahead,
Barak recently convened a first meet-
ing of his reconstituted election-strate-
gy team, which performed so brilliant-
ly for him in May 1999. 1 I

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12/31
1999

39