Sharansky: Nobody's Pawn

By LISA BEYER/JERUSALEM

It's probably a safe bet that Natan Sharansky, former Soviet dissident and leader of the Russian immigrants in Israel, voted for Netanyahu, the man he credits with helping free him from the Soviet gulag. But he may have cost his buddy the race. The other Soviet Jews, 700,000 of whom have arrived in Israel in the past decade and who now represent 14% of the nation's electorate, swung victory to Barak. Veteran Israelis tend to stick rigidly in either the Labor or Likud camp, but "the Russians," as they are called, can go either way. This time just over half voted for Barak, enough to give him the edge.

Netanyahu's once solid lead among the Russians began to unravel the moment Sharansky's immigrant party, Yisrael Ba'aliya, unveiled its TV ads. They steadfastly focused on winning control of the Interior Ministry, which determines who can immigrate to Israel and with what rights. The ultra-Orthodox have long controlled the ministry, notoriously harassing Russian immigrants by questioning their Jewish bona fides.

Barak, who had already used Russian grievances in his own campaign, quickly hinted that he'd give Sharansky the Interior portfolio. It took Netanyahu a week to match the offer. The trend had been set. More and more Russians concluded that their natural home was with the secularist Barak and not with the ultra-Orthodox-allied Netanyahu. Barak will almost certainly feel obliged to give Interior to Sharansky's party, which also demands the Housing Ministry as vital to new immigrants. Sharansky says he has no problems working with the "very bright and very intellectual" Barak, though they won't be playing chess again, as they did during the campaign. The Russian, an accomplished master, checkmated Barak in seven moves. In politics, too, Sharansky is nobody's pawn.

--By Lisa Beyer/Jerusalem