January 19, 2003

Likud poll: Labor, Shinui neck and neck

By Gil Hoffman

A poll commissioned by the Likud Thursday night predicted that the Labor Party and Shinui would both end up with 18 mandates. This is the first time a poll found Labor to be in danger of becoming the third-largest faction in the Knesset.

A Labor poll taken the same day predicted that Labor would receive 22 mandates and Shinui 17.

A poll taken by pollster Rafi Smith last week found that Labor and Shinui had the same degree of support when Arab votes were excluded. Labor Party chairman Amram Mitzna spent the weekend campaigning in the Arab sector.

Labor and Likud both intend to use this week to shore up support on their sides of the political spectrum, targeting voters considering smaller parties on the extreme left and right. Both parties will premiere commercials featuring 1996's prime ministerial candidates.

The Likud will use Foreign Minister Binyamin Netanyahu talking about the importance of a strong Likud in campaign commercials targeting National Union and National Religious Party voters that will begin to air Sunday night.

Veteran Labor MK Shimon Peres will be featured in new commercials praising Mitzna and ruling out Labor's participation in a national-unity government led by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

Transportation and Environment Minister Tzahi Hanegbi said in a political gathering in Holon on Saturday that the Likud intends to first ask right-wing and religious parties to join a coalition if the Likud emerges victorious in the January 28 election. He said that only after the Likud's traditional partners came aboard would the Likud ask Labor to join.

Several officials present at the event reported that Hanegbi said the Likud would join a national-unity government led by Mitzna if Labor wins the race, but the minister's spokesman denied that he said it.

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