Sharon on violence, Labor says it won't join Sharon-led government скачать в хорошем качестве

Sharon on violence, Labor says it won't join Sharon-led government

(14 Jan 2003) Haifa 1. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon arriving 2. Sharon on podium 3. SOUNDBITE: (Hebrew) Ariel Sharon, Israeli Prime Minister: "We are together in the war against terrorism, in the war against the terrorist, their helpers and those who send them and we are also together in peace - that will come with the help of God. This is a spirit of hope. That's how we were working until now and that's how in unity we will continue to act in the future." 3. Sharon talking with people on podium Tel Aviv 4. Labor party leader Amram Mitzna arriving at press conference 5. Wide of press conference 6. SOUNDBITE (Hebrew) Amram Mitzna, Labor party leader: "It's us or Sharon. That's the situation and we can't get away from it. I came here a couple of months ago and this is the way I believe in and I am going to fight for it." 7. Cutaway 8. SOUNDBITE (English) Avraham Burg, Labor party member: "It's a moment of truth for the Israeli public and the Labor Party. The Labor Party today produced its inner truth to the Israeli public before next week's election. What we told the people is forget about illusions, forget about trying to cheat yourself. It is either Ariel Sharon and the extreme right or ourselves and no middle ground, either Amram Mitzna leading Israel to an alternative to Sharon, to an alternative to the 'no policy, no programme, no plan' to save Israel or us and our commitment." 9. Burg standing STORYLINE: Israel's opposition Labor Party announced on Tuesday that it will not join a government led by Ariel Sharon, a dramatic step that could throw Israel into political limbo after the January 28 general election. Labor's decision could mean that neither Sharon nor Labor leader Amram Mitzna will be able to form a stable coalition government, and could even force Israel into yet another election. Mitzna made the announcement at party headquarters in Tel Aviv, flanked by nearly all of Labor's 26 parliamentarians. Israeli commentators said the decision appeared to be a desperate attempt by Labor to sway undecided voters, after the latest polls suggested the party would not win more than 20 seats in the 120-member parliament. An internal Labor poll indicated the party could win three to four more seats by declaring unequivocally that it would not join a Sharon government. Sharon reiterated on Tuesday that he prefers another so-called unity government of his Likud party and Labor. Polls suggest Likud will emerge as the largest party and that Sharon will be given the first shot at trying to form a coalition. However, without Labor as a partner, he would have to seek his allies among ultra-nationalist and religious factions. Surveys indicate that such a constellation would win 63 seats, enough to rule with a narrow majority, but unstable because Sharon would be vulnerable to political demands from the smaller parties. Sharon and Mitzna have very different approaches to the conflict with the Palestinians. Sharon is trying to crush the 28-month-old Palestinian uprising by force and has vowed not to resume peace talks until attacks on Israelis stop. Mitzna says he is ready to resume negotiations with Yasser Arafat now and will, as one of his first acts in office, withdraw unilaterally from the Gaza Strip. If talks on the fate of the West Bank produce no results after a year, Mitzna says he will unilaterally draw Israel's border and erect a security fence to keep out Palestinian attackers. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...