Christiane Amanpour: Israeli elections and her interview with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak

Christiane Amanpour

February 2, 2001
Web posted at: 5:57 p.m. EST (2257 GMT)

Christiane Amanpour is CNN's chief international correspondent.

CNN Moderator: You recently met with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak. With the polls showing Mr. Barak trailing Mr. Sharon, how is he maintaining his confidence about the election?

Christiane Amanpour: I sat down and talked with him today, and I asked him exactly that. He says that he is still supremely self-confidant -- confidant that he is presenting the only viable choice for Israelis. He says that his efforts for peace, no matter how painful, are the only ones that will only make peace, because they are the ones that will involve heavy concessions and compromises from the Israelis and the Palestinians. He says that he believes that in the final few days before the elections, people will realize, what he calls, the stark choice before them. He says Ariel Sharon, his opponent, is clinging unrealistically to policies that will not bring a peace agreement with the Palestinians.

Question from chat room: What are Barak's fears about Mr. Sharon?

He says that Mr. Sharon, having had an illustrious military career, has also lead Israel into many, what he called, political blunders over the last 20 years. He cites the war in Lebanon and Sharon's campaign to build Jewish settlements in occupied territories which makes territorial compromise with the Palestinians more complicated

CNN Moderator: With no concrete breakthrough in the Mideast peace plan yet, which other issues are Barak emphasizing in his campaign?

Christiane Amanpour: Well, to be very honest, he is mostly emphasizing the peace process. He is calling this election a referendum on peace. And he is saying he is sure that in a few more months peace could be achieved as long as the Palestinians are prepared. He says that the two sides have never been closer to peace, although, he does admit that the outstanding issues may take a long time to bridge.

Question from chat room: Has Arafat lost the confidence of the Palestinian people?

VIDEO Barak sat down for an interview on the election with CNN's Christiane Amanpour (February 2) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) CNN's Jerrold Kessel has more on the Israeli elections (February 2) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) CNN's Mike Hanna tells what's at stake in the upcoming Israeli elections (February 1) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)    AUDIO Barak tells CNN's Christiane Amanpour "now is a crucial stage of the peace process" 277K/25 sec. AIFF or WAV sound    RESOURCES Timeline gallery: Israeli opposition leader Ariel Sharon    RESOURCES In-Depth: Israel Election 2001    TIMELINES Recent acts of violence in the Middle East:  •  Bombings  •  Activist deaths    RESOURCES Key issues: U.S., Israeli and Palestinian views    ALSO

Christiane Amanpour: It's a very complicated question. There are some people who believe that he may not be fully in control of what's happening on the streets. On the other hand, others say that he is in control. Certainly the Palestinian people support his insistence on real gains -- on issues such as the fate of the holy sites in Jerusalem and the right of Palestinians to return to homes they lost during the 1948 war. Those appear to be the outstanding issues in the process now.

Question from chat room: Is the Bush administration expressing a preference in the Israeli election?

Christiane Amanpour: No, the policy of the U.S. is not to interfere in other countries democratic processes, saying that no matter who the Israeli people choose, the United States will do business with them. Although, tonight former President Clinton, who was very involved in the Middle East peace process, gave an interview supporting the peace process. And his partners in that process had been Ehud Barak and the Palestinian Yassar Arafat.

CNN Moderator: Barak was under pressure to step aside in favor of Shimon Peres. Why did Barak decline to do that?

Christiane Amanpour: He said it was a non starter from the beginning He said he had never been formally approached by his party, and many of Mr. Barak's aides tell us that it was a notion conjured up by the Israeli press.

CNN Moderator: Barak has been talking about "the fate of the people of Israel." What does he mean by this?

Christiane Amanpour: Well, he has portrayed the choice in these elections as a choice in making a real and final peace that will allow Israelis to live in peace and security while the Palestians get their own state and future as a sovereign people. He has said that he fears, what he calls, "extremist policies" of a right wing Likud government could make a final peace agreement a much more distant prospect.

Question from chat room: Do the polls show how many Israeli Arabs are likely to vote for Barak?

Christiane Amanpour: Israeli Arabs have been saying publicly that they are likely to boycott the elections, at least a lot of them, because they are very angry that in the early days of this current violence Israeli police shot and killed 13 Israeli Arabs who were demonstrating in sympathy with the Palestinians.

CNN Moderator: Thank you for joining us today, Christiane Amanpour.

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Sharon calls peace talks a campaign ploy by Barak
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Mideast negotiators want to continue talks after Israeli elections
January 27, 2001
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January 26, 2001
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January 24, 2001
Decision on Mideast peace talks due Wednesday
January 23, 2001

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