The ballots have been counted and the results are very clear. Israeli elections are over and the right has once again prevailed. Rightwing Likud party was able to reel in 37 Knesset seats, 30.8% of the votes cast. Secular rightwing Shinui party was able to secure 15 seats, receiving 12.5 % of the votes. Shas is at 11 seats (9.2%) and the National Union came through with 7 seats (5.6%). All in all, the right-wingers were able to secure around 60% of the votes and at least 73 seats in the Israeli Knesset.

The Israeli people seem to be very satisfied with Ariel Sharon and are not interested in a new leadership "not compromised by terror," as President Bush requested of the Palestinians. The Israelis are sending a very clear message to their Palestinian neighbors; they are not interested in a political solution and have elected the man responsible for the outbreak of violence, a man who has broken, deemed irrelevant or simply criticized every peace agreement ever signed by any former Israeli leader. The mandate of Ariel Sharon is very clear: sustaining the occupation, destroying Palestinian infrastructure and building more illegal settlements on more privately owned Palestinian land. All this takes place while Sharon brands the EU, UN and Russia as 'irrelevant,' as he has deemed Arafat, sidestepping any possible agreement for he thrives on violence and can only stay in power if the bloodshed continues.

Not too familiar with peaceful solutions, Sharon affectively used bullets to get ballots in this election which has proven to be the most effective way to campaign the Israeli people. "Today is not the time for celebrations - no celebrations. This is a time for soul-searching, for coming together in unity, for fusing all forces in order to bring about a genuine 'victory'." This is how Sharon accepted his election triumph by promising victory over the occupied Palestinians. "I am announcing today, that after the president assigns me the task of forming a government, I will ask all 'Zionist' parties to join a unity government that will be as broad as possible."

Sharon is looking for a broad government so he would not have to be the moderate voice. Sharon could not play the role of the moderate, and would not be the popular 'bulldozer,' a nickname given to Sharon glorifying him as the man who built the most number of illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank including east Jerusalem, if he is to form a rightwing government. Sharon expressed the fact that he is not interested in forming a rightwing government: "I do not intend to establish a narrow right-wing government. Under any circumstances." Shinui is anti-religion and is not in sync with religious Jewish parties which form a good chunk of the rightwing block. Even though their political views are the same as far as dealing with the Palestinians, Shinui will not join a government comprised of Shas or any religious party. Labor will not join a coalition for Likud is not willing to make peace and has destroyed what little acheivements have been reached by the Labor party and the late Rabin.

It does not look very promising for Sharon, and at the same time it does not seem at all promising for the occupied Palestinians. It is too early to call the shots for everyone has a price, including the Labor party which has joined hands with Sharon in the last elections. The Labor party under Ben-Eliezer deviantly legitamized the Likud party and effectivley weakened themselves as an opposition party. While the Israeli people learn more about the injustices suffered by the Palestinians and elect a leader that will assure peace through offering justice, the Palestinians will continue to pursue their freedom. Is Ariel Sharon capable of making peace? Any Israeli leader is indeed capable and has the power to make peace. Does he want to make peace? Now that's a different story.