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Compiled from Times wires
© St. Petersburg Times, published March 8, 2001
JERUSALEM -- Ariel Sharon, the nationalist former general who fought or led troops in all of Israel's major wars, became the country's 11th prime minister Wednesday, telling the Palestinians he is prepared for peace but will insist on a reduction in violence before resuming negotiations.
In a solemn speech to the Knesset, Israel's parliament, Sharon presented his government -- a broad, contradictory alliance of dovish, hawkish and strictly religious forces from seven parties that he said will fortify the nation for its "difficult security situation." Sharon, 73, was sworn into office with his hand on a Hebrew version of the Old Testament, a first that his aides said was intended to reaffirm Jews' connection with the Holy Land.
The vote in the 120-member Knesset to approve his government was 72-21. There were no abstentions; some members were absent.
A divisive figure for much of his quarter-century in public life, Sharon urged his countrymen to unite behind his new government. But the centerpiece of his speech was a plea to the Palestinians that acknowledged both sides' "awful suffering" during the Palestinian revolt of the last 51/2 months.
"If our Palestinian neighbors choose the path of peace ... they will find me and my government are honest and faithful partners," Sharon told the Knesset. Nonetheless, he emphasized that Israel will not talk peace "under pressure of terror and violence" and reiterated his commitment to an "indivisible and united Jerusalem" under Israeli sovereignty.
The Palestinians regard both those stances as signs of intransigence. But in their public comments Wednesday, they were generally cautious.
"The lip service for peace and the generalities don't make peace," said Saeb Erekat, a senior Palestinian negotiator. "To make peace means a decision to end the (Israeli military) occupation" in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
Since trouncing the outgoing prime minister, Ehud Barak, in elections a month ago, Sharon has avoided elaborating on his plan to put down the Palestinian uprising and renew talks. Instead, he has focused on assembling a government, which includes a record-largest 26-member Cabinet.
Occupying the far left of the coalition will be the new foreign minister, Shimon Peres, who won the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize as an architect of the Oslo agreement with the Palestinians. On the other extreme will be ultranationalists like Avigdor Lieberman, who has threatened to bomb Israel's Arab neighbors, and Rechavam Zeevy, a former general who favors the "voluntary" departure of Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank.
Even before the government was officially installed Wednesday, there were signs of cracks. In contrast to Sharon's insistence on a break in the violence before peace talks can be resumed, Peres stressed the urgency of returning to the negotiating table without setting preconditions.
But Sharon did receive a boost from the Knesset on two important points. First, lawmakers passed a preliminary budget for 2001, which by law must be enacted by the end of this month. And the Knesset passed an election law reform that is expected to prolong the life of Sharon's government.
By a margin of 2-1, the Knesset repealed the hybrid system instituted in the 1996 elections by which Israelis have cast separate ballots for prime minister and for a party for parliament. Contrary to expectations, the system has resulted in a Knesset divided among 17 parties, many of them small, sectarian and single-issue blocs that can hold the government hostage to narrow interests.
By switching back to a party vote that determines the prime minister and parliament at the same time, the Knesset provided a strong disincentive to topple Sharon and force elections before the end of his term in 2003, since small parties would be the likely losers on the new party-only ballot.