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CNN Live At Daybreak

Sharon Forced to Call for New Elections

Aired November 05, 2002 - 05:39   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has just called for new elections. He was forced to after failing to put together a new coalition government.
Let's go live now to our Jerrold Kessel, who's joining us from Jerusalem with the very latest from there -- Jerrold.

JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Catherine.

And the first week in February is when Israelis will be asked to go to the polls in a general election. And Ariel Sharon announcing that this morning effectively kicked off the three month election campaign.

Now, while Mr. Sharon was saying he was speaking in the name of national unity, he actually subtly but mercilessly laid into just about everyone, both his opponents within his own camp and the political opposition.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARIEL SHARON, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: Since the irresponsible resignation of the Labor Party, I've been in touch with a large number of leaders to see whether they would throw their lot in with the government in order to tackle all these national challenges facing us. Unfortunately, demands were posed, conditions, all sorts of requirements were posed in my conversations with them which I could not agree to for the sake of the country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KESSEL: Along with unity, the other watchwords in Mr. Sharon's message were national responsibility and stability, a message which seemed aimed as much to the Israeli public as across the oceans to Washington.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHARON: I will not change the government's basic lines nor will I impair the profound strategic agreements and understandings we have with the United States. Nor will I turn my back on the major achievements that the government has achieved with the White House under my leadership. Nor will I break the budgetary limits. I will get the budget passed in the second and third reading as soon as possible without modifying the level of the deficit.

(END VIDEO CLIP) KESSEL: Mr. Sharon is already trying to position himself at the center of the Israeli political map. No, it's, one's bound to say that that political map has shifted somewhat to the right. But even before he gets to that election, Mr. Sharon first has to ward off the challenge for the leadership of his Likud Party from the former prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, just as they'll be elections in the Labor Party, internal elections for the leadership of that with the current leader, Mr. Ben Eliezer, the resigned defense minister, facing a challenge from two considered more dovish ministers.

Already, though, Israel very much into that election at the beginning of February -- Catherine.

CALLAWAY: All right, thank you.

That's Jerrold Kessel.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired November 5, 2002 - 05:39   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has just called for new elections. He was forced to after failing to put together a new coalition government.
Let's go live now to our Jerrold Kessel, who's joining us from Jerusalem with the very latest from there -- Jerrold.

JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Catherine.

And the first week in February is when Israelis will be asked to go to the polls in a general election. And Ariel Sharon announcing that this morning effectively kicked off the three month election campaign.

Now, while Mr. Sharon was saying he was speaking in the name of national unity, he actually subtly but mercilessly laid into just about everyone, both his opponents within his own camp and the political opposition.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARIEL SHARON, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: Since the irresponsible resignation of the Labor Party, I've been in touch with a large number of leaders to see whether they would throw their lot in with the government in order to tackle all these national challenges facing us. Unfortunately, demands were posed, conditions, all sorts of requirements were posed in my conversations with them which I could not agree to for the sake of the country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KESSEL: Along with unity, the other watchwords in Mr. Sharon's message were national responsibility and stability, a message which seemed aimed as much to the Israeli public as across the oceans to Washington.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHARON: I will not change the government's basic lines nor will I impair the profound strategic agreements and understandings we have with the United States. Nor will I turn my back on the major achievements that the government has achieved with the White House under my leadership. Nor will I break the budgetary limits. I will get the budget passed in the second and third reading as soon as possible without modifying the level of the deficit.

(END VIDEO CLIP) KESSEL: Mr. Sharon is already trying to position himself at the center of the Israeli political map. No, it's, one's bound to say that that political map has shifted somewhat to the right. But even before he gets to that election, Mr. Sharon first has to ward off the challenge for the leadership of his Likud Party from the former prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, just as they'll be elections in the Labor Party, internal elections for the leadership of that with the current leader, Mr. Ben Eliezer, the resigned defense minister, facing a challenge from two considered more dovish ministers.

Already, though, Israel very much into that election at the beginning of February -- Catherine.

CALLAWAY: All right, thank you.

That's Jerrold Kessel.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com