Israel’s Labor Party candidate for prime minister promised that if elected, he would hold a national referendum on any final-status agreement with the Palestinians. During a television interview Sunday, Ehud Barak said he had already requested a team of legal advisers to begin drawing up draft legislation requiring such a referendum, which he would submit to the Knesset within two months of assuming office. Political observers said Barak’s promise is aimed at undecided voters who are currently vacillating between Barak and incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Meanwhile, Netanyahu ridiculed Barak’s promise, saying that the May 17 elections are themselves a national referendum on the peace process.
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