Military

DATE=11/04/02

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE= ISRAEL GOVERNMENT (L)

NUMBER=2-296049

BYLINE=LARRY JAMES

DATELINE=JERUSALEM

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon faces the first of three no-confidence votes since the collapse of his coalition, last week. Larry James reports on his continuing effort to build the political support necessary to remain in power and avoid calling for new elections.

TEXT: Mr. Sharon holds another round of talks today with the far-right National Union / Yisrael Beitenu Party. If it agrees to join him, its seven seats would give his government him a slim two-vote majority in parliament.

Mr. Sharon accepts the idea of an eventual Palestinian state. But that position is at odds with the National Union. Mr. Sharon has said he will not change his policy on the issue. just to bring in a new coalition partner.

Sunday, former Israeli Prime Minister and Sharon political rival Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to be the next foreign minister, under the condition that the government calls for early elections.

/// NETANYAHU ACTUALITY ///

I said to the prime minister that I would agree to serve as foreign minister in a government that would go to early elections. If we don't go to early elections, this government would barely survive. It would not be able to implement the economic reforms that I need, that I believe are necessary to save the Israeli economy.

/// END ACTUALITY ///

Mr. Sharon's office says it is considering the proposal, but Israeli media reports say the prime minister is unlikely to accept the call for early elections.

/// OPT /// "Ha'aretz" newspaper quotes sources close to Mr. Sharon as calling the Netanyahu offer nothing more than "political trickery." As the unnamed aid put it, "If we want to call early elections, we don't need Netanyahu. That - we can do by ourselves."

Both Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Sharon are in competition to head the conservative Likud Party. Mr. Netnayahu -- who was Israel's right-wing prime minister from 1996 until 1999 -- has said he wants Mr. Sharon to come down harder on the two-year Palestinian uprising. // END OPT //

The Sharon coalition fell apart last week, when the moderate Labor Party quit in a dispute over funding of Jewish settlements in Palestinian territories.

Meanwhile, the human rights group Amnesty International has accused the Israeli army of war crimes during its incursions into the West Bank towns, Jenin and Nablus last April. Amnesty says the military killed civilians, tortured prisoners, destroyed homes and obstructed humanitarian aid. The army says it will not comment on the charges until it has read the whole report.

NEB/LDJ / WD