Sharon begins work on new government

Sharon at Judaism's holiest site, the Western Wall

Israeli Prime Minister-elect, Ariel Sharon, is beginning work on forming a new government, the day after his sweeping victory over the incumbent, Ehud Barak.

Today the state of Israel has taken a new road, the road of peace, security and unity

Ariel Sharon

The hard-line Likud Party leader has pledged to restore the security of Israel's citizens and to achieve "real peace" and stability in the region.

But the militant Fatah faction of the Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has responded to Mr Sharon's victory by demanding an escalation of the intifada.

Mr Sharon has 45 days in which to form a coalition government, or face the prospect of early parliamentary elections.

'Jerusalem indivisible'

On his first day as Prime Minister-elect, Mr Sharon made a highly symbolic visit to the Western Wall in Jerusalem where he restated his refusal to make concessions to the Palestinians on the city's status.

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"I am visiting Jerusalem, the capital of the Jewish people for the past 3,000 years, and the eternal and indivisible capital of Israel," he proclaimed.

The Western Wall is part of the exterior of the holiest site in Judaism, the Temple Mount.

Mr Sharon's visit to the Temple Mount last September, a site which is also holy to Muslims, was to prove the trigger for the current unrest in which some 400 people have died.

Inherited problems

Mr Sharon used his victory speech to call for a government of national unity to bring peace to the Middle East.

But a BBC correspondent in Jerusalem, Jon Leyne, says Mr Sharon will inherit the problems that brought down his predecessor.

Touching on the abortive peace process in his victory speech, Mr Sharon said any accord with the Palestinians would have to protect Israel's vital interests, including an undivided Jerusalem.

He called on the Palestinians to end their uprising and negotiate what he described as a realistic peace.

Mr Sharon's win comes on the back of a record low voter turn-out.

At less than 59%, it was down sharply from the May 1999 election that brought Mr Barak to power in a landslide over right-winger Benjamin Netanyahu.

Boycott

A major factor in the low turnout was a massive boycott by Israeli Arabs, who make up some 13% of the electorate and traditionally support Labour.

Only about 20% of them voted and of those that did, 25% cast ballots for Mr Sharon.

Palestinian reaction has been mixed.

The Palestinian National Authority (PNA) has promised to work with the new Israeli leadership.

Leader Yasser Arafat, said: "We respect the decision of the Israeli people. We hope the peace process will continue."

But Mr Arafat's Fatah faction urged the PNA "not to hold any contacts or negotiations with Sharon."

And Fatah called "for an escalation of the intifada and resistance to confront the indiscriminate butcher Sharon".

Israel began easing its closure of the West Bank and Gaza on Wednesday. They were sealed off on Tuesday, as in previous elections.

Divided parliament

A leading Arab member of the Israeli parliament, Ahmed Tibi, said most Israeli Arabs had abstained or spoilt their ballot papers as a message to Mr Barak.

Conceding victory, Mr Barak said he was resigning as Labour leader and leaving parliament.

"Friends, we have lost a battle, but we will win the war," he told supporters.

Political commentators in the Israeli press have forecast a bumpy ride ahead for Mr Sharon on both the diplomatic and domestic fronts.

Israel may face an escalation in Palestinian violence and the Israeli parliament - the Knesset - will be just as divided, with many on the left and right anxious to bring him down.

An editorial in the Jerusalem Post points out that Mr Barak's sudden resignation will make it much harder for Mr Sharon to form a broad-based government quickly.

His other option is to form a narrow, more hard-line government, but the paper speculates that this kind of government may not last for long.

Palestinian militants have already insisted that the violence will continue.

Hamas said Mr Sharon's election would give them the motivation to pursue resistance.