One experienced commentator said of the general election which concluded last night in Israel that "Likud fears its victory more than Labour fears its defeat".
His prediction was borne out by the outcome foreshadowed in last night's exit polls and preliminary results. It will be extremely difficult for the handsomely victorious Mr Ariel Sharon to form a governing coalition capable of commanding national and international support, given the Labour leadership's refusal to participate, despite reduced representation.
The election was called when Mr Sharon refused to accommodate the then Labour leader, Mr Benjamin Ben-Eleizer's demand for a budgetary response to his political priorities, including provisions for pensions, single mothers and development towns. Buoyed by opinion polls showing he could command more parliamentary seats, Mr Sharon refused, precipitating a dissolution of parliament. Mr Sharon was confident his tough line against the Palestinian intifada would see him through the campaign and fend off challenges to his party leadership.
This proved true - but only after major oscillations in his fortunes over allegations of corruption in compiling the Likud party list and campaign financing. A bizarre decision by a supreme court judge to block out a Sharon news conference swung public opinion back towards him. It confirmed a more deep-seated feeling among the electorate that Mr Sharon is more to be trusted with political leadership in the midst of so much uncertainty about a war with Iraq than the new Labour leader, Mr Amram Mitzna, who favours reopening negotiations with the Palestinian leader, Mr Yasser Arafat.
The dilemma Mr Sharon faces is where to turn for support now that Labour refuses to extend it. He has several options. He may try to split Labour. If this fails he must court coalition partners among a variety of far-right parties - or with the radically secular but ultra-Zionist Shinui Party, which has done so well in this election. Any of these partners will make it impossible for him to gain international credibility as a peace partner for the Palestinians - unless with a victorious US-led coalition against Iraq. But such a combination of victors would create many, many more problems in the Middle East than it would resolve.