ISRAEL: A week ahead of Israel's general elections, the Prime Minister, Mr Ariel Sharon, is pulling further ahead in the opinion polls.
The opposition Labour Party is in such disarray that desperate suggestions were made yesterday that it ditch its leader, the Haifa mayor, Mr Amram Mitzna.
Surveys published in Israel's two biggest-selling dailies yesterday showed Mr Sharon's Likud heading for between 31 and 33 seats in the 120-member Knesset, with Labour trailing on 19 or 20 seats. If the polls prove accurate on January 28th, Mr Sharon would be well-placed to dictate terms to potential coalition partners and to set up a government which reflects his determination to achieve "military victory" in the 27- month Palestinian intifada as a firm precondition for a resumption of peace negotiations.
The strong showing by Likud indicates it is weathering two scandals - over alleged corruption in the selection of its Knesset candidates and over alleged illegal financing in previous campaigns by Mr Sharon. Even when those scandals were dominating the front pages here a few weeks ago, Labour failed to draw away disenchanted Likud voters.
Analysts ascribe Labour's failure to take off in this campaign, despite Mr Mitzna's patent sincerity, to his declared readiness to resume peace talks with the Palestinian leader, Mr Yasser Arafat, who is blamed by most Israelis for inciting and funding the intifada.
Ironically, however, a survey in the Ma'ariv tabloid yesterday suggested that were Labour led by elder statesman Mr Shimon Peres, architect of the collapsed Oslo peace partnership with Mr Arafat, it would fare far better next Tuesday. Under Mr Peres, the survey found, Labour would rise to 30 seats, with Likud on 31. Labour Knesset member Mr Weizman Shiri urged Mr Mitzna to stand down.
The notion was immediately rejected by the Labour leader. Instead, Mr Mitzna proposed shifting the focus of Labour's election campaign to Israel's economic problems, pinning the blame on Mr Sharon.
Mr Mitzna also attacked Mr Sharon yesterday for his comments ruling out the European Union, Russia and the United Nations as potential peace-brokers.