In what appears to be a slap in the face for Israel's right-wing Likud party leader Ariel Sharon who is running for the country's premiership candidacy, head of the public relations for the re-election campaign of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, Elie Goldschmidt, announced Friday that the Labor party will act to reveal the classified portion of the 'Kahan Commission' report on the 1982 Sabra and Shatilla massacres in Beirut in which Christian militias slaughtered hundreds of Palestinians, reported Haaretz newspaper.
Sharon was defense minister at the time.
"Sharon's role in the Lebanon war must be revealed to the public," Goldschmidt said, adding that, as of late, the Likud candidate has adorned the mask of an older and wiser man, but "he has no plan and no way to achieve piece." According to Goldschmidt, Sharon is orchestrating a "masquerade," but the public must know "that with his actions of the past 20 years, most importantly during the Lebanon war, Sharon distanced Israel from peace," he said.
Two of the slogans to be used by the Barak campaign - "We cannot return to the days of Sharon" and "Israel must have peace" - were revealed at a press conference Friday, said Haaretz.
The press conference marked the launch of Barak's PR campaign.
Goldschmidt stressed the Likud also understands the problems presented by a Sharon candidacy, and therefore is working to conceal things during the campaign, said the paper.
He called on Sharon to participate in as many debates as possible with Barak, "in order for him to say if he intends to reach peace with the Palestinians, and prevent diplomatic and security deterioration, after he proclaimed that he would not shake Arafat's hand and opposed the peace agreement with Jordan."
Head of the Barak campaign's response team, Environment Minister Dalia Itzik, described the Likud slogan "Only Sharon will bring peace" as "insolent," considering Sharon has always acted hastily. She added that Israeli citizens must decide between "a prime minister searching for the path to peace, although he has not yet found it, and someone who is going to war."
Barak and Sharon are the only two who are running for the premiership election on February 6th.
Former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu withdrew two week ago from the candidacy after the Knesset refused to dissolve itself -- Albawaba.com
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
