Peres comes to Barak's rescue

New coalition: Peres and Barak hope to unite the left

BBC News Online's Tarik Kafala

Polls suggest that the Israeli centre-left is facing almost certain defeat in the upcoming election for prime minister.

With only days to go before the vote, Prime Minister Ehud Barak is way behind Ariel Sharon, the leader of the right-wing Likud Party.

In a dramatic about turn, Mr Barak is turning to former Prime Minister and Nobel peace laureate Shimon Peres for his electoral salvation.

Likud's Ariel Sharon looks to be heading for an overwhelming victory

The two men are trying to forge a new alliance on the left of Israeli politics to stave off a humiliating defeat that - they warn - would spell the end of the Middle East peace process.

Events seem to be working against Mr Barak. The Palestinian-Israeli violence, in part ignited by Mr Sharon's controversial visit to the Temple Mount or Haram al-Sharif, appears to be benefiting the Likud leader.

Equally, Mr Barak's efforts to reach a comprehensive peace agreement with the Palestinians - the platform on which he has based his reputation - now look like they may end in failure.

Rivals

Since his election win 18 months ago, Mr Barak has sidelined Mr Peres, giving him the job of minister of regional co-operation - a post with very little power or influence.

The main reason for this was that Mr Peres was the prime minister's main rival for the leadership of the Labour Party or the umbrella for the Israeli left, the One Israel bloc.

But recently, the two men have been appearing on television and campaigning together, reviving memories of the partnership formed by assassinated Israeli leader Yitzhak Rabin and Mr Peres which took Israel down the path that led to the Oslo peace talks and the Israeli-Palestinian interim agreements.

Peres as saviour

Mr Peres brings credibility with the Israeli peace camp to the partnership with Mr Barak.

Shimon Peres

Member of parliament since 1959

Twice prime minister, Labour Party

Nobel peace prize 1994

Currently minister for regional co-operation

Lost bid for president, July 2000

Left-wingers and Israeli Arabs are hugely disillusioned by Mr Barak and his peace efforts. He will be hoping that his new association with Mr Peres will energise traditional Labour voters.

Polls are showing that Mr Peres stands a far better chance than Mr Barak of winning the election if he were standing. They put Mr Peres neck-and-neck with Mr Sharon.

There have also been reports in the Israeli press that senior Labour party figures have been leaning on Mr Barak to stand aside.

Mr Peres could theoretically still stand in place of Mr Barak. Israeli electoral law allows a candidate to resign from the race, and be replaced by a party colleague, up to 96 hours before the polling stations open.

Irony of ironies

It is deeply ironic that Mr Peres should be cast as the possible saviour of the Israeli left.

In a political career as old as the state of Israel, he has earned himself the reputation of being a serial loser of elections, losing in 1977, 1981, 1984, 1988, and 1996.

Mr Peres seems to have always failed to convince a majority of voters that he can deliver security for Israelis along with peace with Israel's neighbours.

The reward for Mr Peres if Mr Barak wins is, according to the Israeli press, the post of foreign minister and great influence on the pursuit of the peace process.