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CNN Live At Daybreak
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon Calls It Historic Day of Victory
Aired January 29, 2003 - 05:06 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.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Let's talk about Israel now. In Israel, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon calls it an historic day of victory. Sharon and his Likud Party swept to a decisive win in parliamentary elections. Now comes the hard part, though, building a coalition government. Mr. Sharon says he wants all political parties to join in. But the prime minister's Labor opponent says that is not going to happen. Amram Mitzna says he'll remain in opposition but vows it won't be for long.
So, how will the political landscape shape up now that the voting is done in Israel and how will that affect the peace process?
For some answers, we turn to CNN's Kelly Wallace.
She's live in Tel Aviv -- good morning, Kelly.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
Those are the key questions and to get a sense of how the election results are playing here in Israel, all you have to do is take a look at Israel's major newspapers. "The Jerusalem Post," Sharon Leads Likud To Landslide. "Ha'aretz (ph)," "Likud Wins Almost Double Labor's Seats." No question a major victory for Ariel Sharon's Likud Party and a stunning defeat for the Labor Party, the party that founded the state of Israel.
But the questions on the minds of Israelis now, what kind of coalition government can the prime minister put together and what about the future of the Labor Party?
First, though, to Ariel Sharon, who was celebrating his election victory in the early hours of the morning. To get a sense of the numbers, right now he has the support of 37 members in the 120 member Israeli parliament. But the way it works here, for the prime minister to govern, he needs the support of 61 members in the parliament.
Now, he could go ahead and reach out to the right-wing religious parties to put together a coalition, but he knows that will tie his hands when it comes to dealing with issues such as Middle East peace.
And so, during his speech in the early morning hours, he appealed to the Labor Party to change its mind and join a Sharon-lead coalition government.
But, again, Amram Mitzna, the Labor Party leader, making it clear when he spoke to a crowd of very disappointed supporters, he is saying under no circumstances will he allow the Labor Party to join a Likud- led coalition government. He says he is not ashamed to be part of the opposition. He also says he does not believe the Labor Party will be in the opposition for long.
But major questions really facing the Labor Party. This its biggest election embarrassment in its history, questions about the strategy ahead for the party and about its leader. Amram Mitzna never really seemed to be able to break through with the Israeli public. Many Israelis believe his ideas, such as immediate negotiations with the Palestinians, just didn't represent a cautious enough approach, Carol, after all the violence that people have seen here -- back to you.
COSTELLO: We want to switch gears just a little bit. In President Bush's State of the Union address last night he spent, oh, maybe eight seconds on Israel.
WALLACE: Yes.
COSTELLO: How does that sit in Israel?
WALLACE: Well, there's a big message there, Carol, no doubt. Just one line, the president saying he wants to see a secure Israel alongside a democratic Palestine. The message by this president is that first and foremost, going to a possible military action against Iraq, and then after that the Bush administration to focus on Middle East peace. That sits very well with Ariel Sharon and the Israeli government. It does not sit well, Carol, with the Palestinians. They're very angry about the administration's focus on Iraq and not on Middle East peace.
So you're likely to hear concerns from the Palestinians, but silent support from the Israeli government -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Good enough.
Kelly Wallace live from Tel Aviv this morning.
The Middle East, the history, the latest violence, tattered peace efforts, we've got it all on our Web site. Just click onto cnn.com, AOL keyword: CNN.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Victory>
Aired January 29, 2003 - 05:06 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Let's talk about Israel now. In Israel, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon calls it an historic day of victory. Sharon and his Likud Party swept to a decisive win in parliamentary elections. Now comes the hard part, though, building a coalition government. Mr. Sharon says he wants all political parties to join in. But the prime minister's Labor opponent says that is not going to happen. Amram Mitzna says he'll remain in opposition but vows it won't be for long.
So, how will the political landscape shape up now that the voting is done in Israel and how will that affect the peace process?
For some answers, we turn to CNN's Kelly Wallace.
She's live in Tel Aviv -- good morning, Kelly.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
Those are the key questions and to get a sense of how the election results are playing here in Israel, all you have to do is take a look at Israel's major newspapers. "The Jerusalem Post," Sharon Leads Likud To Landslide. "Ha'aretz (ph)," "Likud Wins Almost Double Labor's Seats." No question a major victory for Ariel Sharon's Likud Party and a stunning defeat for the Labor Party, the party that founded the state of Israel.
But the questions on the minds of Israelis now, what kind of coalition government can the prime minister put together and what about the future of the Labor Party?
First, though, to Ariel Sharon, who was celebrating his election victory in the early hours of the morning. To get a sense of the numbers, right now he has the support of 37 members in the 120 member Israeli parliament. But the way it works here, for the prime minister to govern, he needs the support of 61 members in the parliament.
Now, he could go ahead and reach out to the right-wing religious parties to put together a coalition, but he knows that will tie his hands when it comes to dealing with issues such as Middle East peace.
And so, during his speech in the early morning hours, he appealed to the Labor Party to change its mind and join a Sharon-lead coalition government.
But, again, Amram Mitzna, the Labor Party leader, making it clear when he spoke to a crowd of very disappointed supporters, he is saying under no circumstances will he allow the Labor Party to join a Likud- led coalition government. He says he is not ashamed to be part of the opposition. He also says he does not believe the Labor Party will be in the opposition for long.
But major questions really facing the Labor Party. This its biggest election embarrassment in its history, questions about the strategy ahead for the party and about its leader. Amram Mitzna never really seemed to be able to break through with the Israeli public. Many Israelis believe his ideas, such as immediate negotiations with the Palestinians, just didn't represent a cautious enough approach, Carol, after all the violence that people have seen here -- back to you.
COSTELLO: We want to switch gears just a little bit. In President Bush's State of the Union address last night he spent, oh, maybe eight seconds on Israel.
WALLACE: Yes.
COSTELLO: How does that sit in Israel?
WALLACE: Well, there's a big message there, Carol, no doubt. Just one line, the president saying he wants to see a secure Israel alongside a democratic Palestine. The message by this president is that first and foremost, going to a possible military action against Iraq, and then after that the Bush administration to focus on Middle East peace. That sits very well with Ariel Sharon and the Israeli government. It does not sit well, Carol, with the Palestinians. They're very angry about the administration's focus on Iraq and not on Middle East peace.
So you're likely to hear concerns from the Palestinians, but silent support from the Israeli government -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Good enough.
Kelly Wallace live from Tel Aviv this morning.
The Middle East, the history, the latest violence, tattered peace efforts, we've got it all on our Web site. Just click onto cnn.com, AOL keyword: CNN.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Victory>
