The outgoing Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Ehud Barak, has appealed to the country's Arab voters in a last-minute attempt to minimise the extent of his expected defeat in tomorrow's election. The latest polls showed his rival and former army colleague, Mr Ariel Sharon, up to 21 percentage points ahead in the race to become the next prime minister.
Mr Barak and Mr Sharon are the only candidates in the election, which is held under Israel's unique system of allowing the ordinary voter decide who will head the next government. Israeli Arabs, who form 12.3 per cent of the electorate, could have a significant impact on the figures but, alienated by Israel's security policy, many are not expected to cast their ballot tomorrow.
A total of 13 Israeli Arabs were killed last October in protests supporting the uprising in the nearby Palestinian territories. "In my name and in the name of the government, I express sorrow over the death of Arab citizens," Mr Barak said, in an implicit apology. "As Prime Minister, I hold general responsibility for everything that happens in the country during my term, and also for these incidents, in which 13 Arab citizens were killed."
There was little sign of interest in the election, with sparse activity and few posters. A convoy of trucks headed to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv in the rain yesterday with pro-Barak banners draped along their sides, but no pictures of the candidate who has incurred a certain amount of personal odium.
"We are within reach of a dream for generations - a breakthrough to peace that will put an end to 100 years of blood and tears," Mr Barak said in a letter to voters emphasising his peace process policy. "On the other hand, we could get stuck, perhaps unintentionally, in another cycle of searing hatred, sorrow, and children who do not return home."
Already the hot favourite, Mr Barak's opponent received a further boost with an endorsement in newspaper advertisements from a group with influence over ultra-Orthodox Jews, who make up about 7 per cent of the 4.1 million voters.
The Torah Sages Council of the United Torah Judaism group, which has five seats in the Knesset, expressed its qualified approval and advised supporters: "You must vote for the candidate who, it must be hoped, will not lend a hand to the destruction of religion in the Holy Land."
Sephardic Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, spiritual leader of the ultra-Orthodox Shas party, also endorsed the opposition candidate at the weekend: "If Sharon won't be elected, and the other one will be elected, God help us." Shas has 17 seats in the Knesset.
In addition to his policy on the peace process, Mr Barak has further alarmed ultra-Orthodox voters by promoting the concept of a secular revolution, which could mean reducing state funding for religious schools and ending the exemption of religious students from military service.
His rival has given few interviews since the campaign began but Mr Sharon told the Greek newspaper Eleftherotypia yesterday that, if elected, he would "move forward on a foundation I call a plan with many steps". He would not negotiate with the Palestinians while the intifada, or uprising, continued and he reiterated his intention to advance in stages.
He was unyielding on the question of control over Jerusalem which, he said, "will remain united and not divided in neighbourhoods and will remain under Israeli sovereignty".
In addition, "for the defence and protection of Israel", the Golan Heights, captured from Syria in 1967, "will remain under Israeli sovereignty". He reiterated his support for Jewish settlers: "No settlement will be displaced and there is no question of allowing the return of Palestinian refugees."
Mr Sharon told Eleftherotypia: "That's the foundation of negotiations with them. We are looking not to build bridges but real partners for peace."