Israel's Barak braces for vote on new elections

In this story: U.N.'s Robinson: Israel using 'excessive force' 'Islamic delegates call for protection force More fighting in region Israel relaxes restrictions for Ramadan RELATED STORIES, SITES

CNN White House Correspondent Kelly Wallace, Fionnuala Sweeney and CNN Correspondent Jerrold Kessel contributed to this report

JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak appealed for support across party lines Tuesday just hours ahead of the first vote on a motion to dissolve parliament and call new elections.

Ariel Sharon, leader of the right-wing Likud party that sponsored the motion, told CNN that passage of the bill on the first reading would be a step "for a better government, for better security for Israeli citizens, for a better peace process."

Barak's popularity has been waning since the Mideast summit at Camp David, Maryland, failed to produce a peace agreement with the Palestinians. He faces a difficult challenge to ward off opposition efforts to unseat him.

GALLERY Tears, tension and diplomacy (November 27)    VIDEO CNN's Jerrold Kessel reports on the talks and funerals (November 27) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) Arafat's Fatah party calls for more violence as Ramadan starts. CNN's Tom Mintier reports (November 27) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) CNN's Kelly Wallace reports an international committee has met to discuss the causes of the violence in the Mideast (November 27) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)   MESSAGE BOARD Mideast peace     ALSO Israel claims Palestinian gunmen may have shot boy in high-profile killing Israel rejects criticism by U.N.'s Robinson

If there is a majority for passing the bill in the first reading, Barak has few options. One, he can repeat an attempt to get the Likud party to join him in forming an emergency national government, a step Sharon's party has been reluctant to take.

Another option for the prime minister is to turn the vote Tuesday into a vote of no confidence on his government. That would postpone the vote until Monday, giving Barak six days to negotiate with politicians in the Knesset.

It was uncertain whether Barak's shaky political coalition could find the 61 votes needed to defeat the bill. Some analysts said they see a peace deal with the Palestinians as Barak's only chance of surviving politically.

U.N.'s Robinson: Israel using 'excessive force'

Mary Robinson, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, accused Israel on Monday of using excessive force against Palestinians in her report assessing the latest cycle of Mideast violence.

"There has also been shooting on the Palestinian side, but the superior firepower (by Israel) has been used, I believe, excessively -- particularly against youths throwing stones," she said.

Since September 28, at least 270 people have been killed, the majority of them Palestinians and Israeli-Arabs.

Islamic delegates call for protection force

Meanwhile, delegates from four Islamic nations called on the U.N. Security Council Monday to dispatch an international protection force for Palestinians living in Gaza and the West Bank.

"We urge them not to spend a lot of time on this because every minute we are talking people are killed or wounded," Qatar's foreign minister, Sheikh Hamad al-Thani, told reporters after the meeting.

Qatar led a delegation from the Organization of the Islamic Conference, whose members include Iran, Morocco, Senegal and Malaysia.

Their visit was aimed at backing a recent request from Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat for a protection force. The Council has not acted on the proposal.

More fighting in region

Robinson's report came as Israeli-Palestinian fighting continued Monday in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Gilo.

In addition, funerals were held for five Palestinians who were killed Sunday night by Israeli soldiers in Qalqilya on the West Bank. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the Palestinians were shot after they fired at an Israeli civilian car and a military outpost.

The IDF official said those killed were members of Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat's Fatah military wing.

But Palestinian spokesman Nabil Abu Rudieneh rejected that account. He told CNN he was outraged by the killings and insisted the Palestinians -- two of whom he said were teen-agers -- were unarmed civilians. He called the killings an unprovoked "massacre."

Two other Palestinians were injured in the clash, Rudieneh said.

Israel relaxes restrictions for Ramadan

Also on Monday, a funeral was held for an Israeli army officer who was killed Sunday when a roadside bomb exploded in a disputed area on the Israeli-Lebanese border.

Hezbollah militia claimed responsibility for detonating the bomb that killed Sgt. 1st Class Kalil Tahor and wounded two other soldiers.

Israel, meanwhile, relaxed social and economic restrictions on Palestinians living in Gaza in respect for of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, which began Monday for most Muslims.

Commission on Israeli-Palestinian violence to visit Mideast
November 27, 2000
Israeli soldiers kill 5 Palestinians
November 26, 2000
Mideast violence kills 4 more Palestinians
November 25, 2000
Arafat pursues diplomacy in Jordan
November 24, 2000
Funerals, fighting contrast with Mideast efforts at peace
November 25, 2000
Arafat, Barak agree to resume low-level security cooperation
November 24, 2000

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