Barak, having promised a renewed drive for peace, economic growth, and resistance to religious demands, assembles an eclectic seven-party coalition in the Knesset, which takes him seven weeks.

The new government is sworn in on July 6.

Barak calls it a "coalition for peace" and immediately embarks on a whirlwind diplomatic drive that includes meetings with Turkey's Demirel, Arafat, Mubarak, Abdullah, and Clinton, all of whom speak of a restoration of trust in the Israeli leadership and new openings for peace in the Middle East.

He sets about reviving the peace process with both the Palestinian and Syrians with a certain sense of urgency.

Arafat had already threatened to declare unilaterally a Palestinian state at the time of the Wye summit, Assad is seriously ill (he will die in June 2000), and Clinton wishes to achieve a peace agreement before the end of his term in office.