cant, tangible improvement in the
Arab sector has been in education
spending.
As part of a campaign strategy to
win back the Arab vote, Barak is
being urged by party doves to corn-
mit himself to appointing an Arab
minister in the next term, says Tal.
But, he added, the core of the strate-
gy is to make enough progress with
the Palestinians so Israeli Arabs will
find it hard to let Barak fall.
The campaign's spoken intention
is to impress upon Israeli Arabs the
consequences of not voting for their
man. Says Tal: "We're going to tell
them that if Netanyahu gets in, the
peace process is finished."
For now, this argument is not only
falling flat, it's making Israeli Arabs
angry. They see it as Labor smug-
ness, taking them for granted again,
patronizing them — like eating their
hummus on the campaign trail.
"That worked with my father's
generation, and my grandfather's,
but not with ours," says Hilou. As
the Palestinians say about Barak's

handling of the peace process, so
Israeli Arabs say about his handling
of their demands for equality: "He's
been no better than Netanyahu, and
maybe worse. Look at what's hap-
pened the last two months," as
Hilou puts it.
If the election is reasonably close,
the Arab vote will be crucial. And
Barakei warns, "Barak can expect no
support from us, unless he signs a
peace agreement with Yasser Arafat."
Failing this growing unlikelihood,
Labor fears that Israeli Arabs will, as
Tal says, "vote with their feet" —
either not show up on Election Day,
or register a protest "blank ballot,"
which effectively means a vote for
the Likud challenger.
Barak's problem is not that Arab
citizens lack enthusiasm for him;
that hasn't stopped them from sup-
porting Labor Party candidates for
prime minister before. Barak's prob-
lem, unique for a Labor leader, is
that most Israeli Arab voters no
longer even see him as the lesser of
two evils.

❑

elections, Shas would lose
the only solution is to fix
Opposite page:
some of the 17 seats they won A demonstrator holds the system.
in the 120-seat Knesset in
Under the previous
placards denouncing
1999 to become Israel's third
electoral
system, Israelis
Israeli Prime
biggest party.
voted
with
one ballot for
Minister Ehud
However, Shas voters can
a
party
list,
and the
Barak outside the
rise above the political melee
leader
of
the
party with
president's residence
somewhat, as they leave their
where Barak handed the best chance of fcirm-
decisions to spiritual leader
in his resignation, in ing a government was
Rabbi Ovadia Yosef. Rabbi
declared prime minister.
Jerusalem Sunday.
Yosef — who this week
Now, Israelis vote sep-
The placard, right,
denounced Barak as a "blind
arately for a prime min-
reads: "Barak,
fox" after formerly labeling
ister and a party list.
stop smiling."
Netanyahu a "blind goat" —
This allows voters to
is expected to instruct his con-
split their tickets, often
stituents to vote for Netanyahu if the
choosing a party that in effect pre-
Knesset paves the way for him to run.
vents the prime minister from wield-
"We are waiting for the rabbi's offi-
ing power effectively.
cial instructions," said David, a kashrut
"All this does is strengthen the frag-
supervisor who refused to give his last
mentation of Israeli society," said Yoram
name. "Maybe if Netanyahu is elected,
Preminger, a 42-year-old tour guide.
it will be a bit better for religion."
"Maybe elections are the only choice
now. But politicians are politicians, and
we can't expect them to change. So hav-
No System Change
ing elections without changing the sys-
Aside from Shas supporters, however,
tem will not help at all."
few want to discuss religious-secular
All of which leads Pazit Madar, a
relations or social issues, the center-
23-year-old business student, to what
pieces of the May 1999 election that
may be the most extreme conclusion.
brought Ba to rower.
"I don't think Bibi can make things
Electoral reform is another story.
better, and Barak may not be brilliant.
It seems increasingly unlikely that the
But in this country you elect the lesser
Knesset will push through quick legisla-
of two evils — which is Barak," she
tion to revert to the electoral system used
said. "But the situation is very depress-
until 1996. As frustrations with politics
ing. I just can't understand what I'm
run high, however, some people feel that
doing in this country anymore."

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