/ BARAK / 100 challenges Israel would face during Clinton’s final period in office and afterwards, I knew I could not go further without seeking a fresh mandate from the country, however unlikely the prospects now seemed. Deciding to do so was a decision that was probably easier for me than for other politicians. Privileged though I felt as Prime Minister to be able to pursue what I felt deeply were Israel’s national interests, the trappings of office were not that important to me. I’d gone into politics to do things, not for the photo opportunities. I did still believe it was important to see the final diplomatic push by Clinton through to its end. But I knew an early election for Prime Minister wouldn’t happen overnight. It would involve a couple of months’ preparation. * * * When I called a news conference on December 9, the media, and the country, assumed that it was about the Palestinian violence and the ups and downs of the Clinton initiative, and I did talk about both. But at the end, I said: “There are those who doubt the mandate I recetved from the citizens of Israel. I have decided to seek a new mandate — to lead the state of Israel on the road to peace, security and a proper civic and social agenda.” I said I would go see the Israeli President the following morning. “I will formally resign, and run for a special election, at the head of the Labor Party, for the Prime Ministership of Israel.” The election was set for February 2001. The last act in President Clinton’s attempt at a breakthrough actually came after the American election, and just a month before George W. Bush would succeed him. Since, in practical terms, any final agreement would almost certainly come under President Bush, Clinton’s final negotiating paper was framed as a set of paramaters which, if agreed to by both sides, were intended to set the stage for a final deal. On December 23, Clinton presented the draft to both sides’ representatives at the White House. I wasn’t there. But the