On February 6, Israeli voters will choose their country's leader. Will Ehud Barak, 58, remain Prime Minister, or will Israelis turn to former army general Ariel Sharon?

Sharon, 72, has a reputation for toughness, especially when it comes to defending Israel's land. Many Israelis remember him for his role in the bitter 1982 war in Lebanon, when he was Minister of Defense. But Sharon is not campaigning as a warrior. He is running on a promise of peace-a peace that won't compromise Israel's territory.

That's just what Israeli voters want to hear. Many feel that Barak appeared weak in his efforts to reach a peace agreement with Palestinians. A recent wave of violence has all but crushed Israel's hopes for peace. In the past four months 332 Palestinians, 13 Israeli Arabs and 47 other Israelis have been killed in the fighting.

Although Sharon enjoys a huge lead in all the opinion polls, Barak refuses to give up the fight. "I believe people will wake up at a certain point," he says.

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February 9, 2001 World Report