(May 17) - The mood at the National Union election headquarters last night was one of mourning and defiance tinged with bitterness.

According to the exit polls of both television channels the party, which included seven outgoing MKs, was expected to win only three seats. Its leaders had hoped for no less than four, and as many as six.

One after another the party leaders expressed dismay at the success of some of the new, single-issue parties, including Shinui and Pnina Rosenblum, compared to their own relatively paltry results.

Party leader Ze'ev (Benny) Begin called the Israeli public spoiled and said that the National Union's message during the campaign had been the harsh truth and therefore difficult for voters to swallow.

In typical understatement, Begin called the election results unsatisfactory, but added that they have no effect on the party's views of the country's circumstances. "Our analysis of the situation is a correct analysis. Our view of reality is the right view. Our conclusions are the right conclusions," he said. "The forecast we presented the public, as we have been doing over the last few years, certainly since the Oslo accords, is the forecast that will eventually come to be."

He warned that Israel will face severe problems with the PLO and Hamas in the wake of Barak's victory.

From the moment he walked into the room a few moments after the exit poll results were announced, Begin maintained his unruffled and polite composure, but when a radio reporter raised a microphone towards him in order to ask a question, Begin flicked it away in a flash of irritation.

Party No. 2 Rehavam Ze'evi refused to comment on the results or to divulge how many seats the party had expected to receive. But he sat despondently in his chair for over an hour before rallying the party leaders and herding them up to the dais to address the supporters.

Benny Elon, the one-term MK who lost his seat last night, called the results an utter failure and said that there had been no justification for merging his Moledet Party with Begin's Herut Party and Hanan Porat's Tekuma Party in for such meager returns. Porat is No. 3 on the National Union list.

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