Impasse in Israel Stirs Electoral Reform Call : Politics: The current system ensures paralysis on the most important issues, its critics say.

A stalemate is brewing in Israel’s efforts to find a new prime minister and, three weeks into the government crisis, talk of new national elections is becoming commonplace.

In the same breath, politicians and commentators are wondering whether a new vote would solve anything. In some cases, they are regretting the failure of Israel’s leaders to reform an electoral system that virtually guarantees no one can win a majority in the Parliament and that gives a powerful role to a host of minor parties across the political spectrum.

The system, critics say, ensures paralysis on the most important issues facing the country, notably the question of conflict and peace with Palestinians.

“Everything hangs in the correction of the system,” advised Uriel Reichmann, dean of the law school at Tel Aviv University. “For now, we are unable to function.”

Israel’s political crisis began two weeks ago when Labor Party leader Shimon Peres successfully undermined the rule of Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir in a no-confidence vote and was nominated to form a new government. Peres predicted the quick formation of a ruling majority in the Knesset, Israel’s Parliament, but his optimism quickly gave way to caution.

On Tuesday, some of Peres’ own supporters began to look for alternatives in the voting booth.

“If there will be a majority for (a Labor) government, it will be presented,” said Haim Ramon, who heads the Labor parliamentary faction. “If we reach the conclusion that this is impossible, then obviously the option of elections, which is the second realistic option from our point of view, will arise.”

Peres’ hopes apparently dimmed in the wake of remarks by Rabbi Eliezar Schach, the spiritual leader of two religious parties. Schach held all Israel in thrall for a few hours Monday as the public waited to hear a clear statement of preference either for Peres and center-left Labor or Shamir, who heads the rightist Likud Party.

Schach managed to choose neither, although his remarks probably represented a blow to Peres. During a speech, Schach attacked Labor’s trademark kibbutz movement for being irreligious and the Labor Party itself for leading Israeli culture away from God.

“The Labor Party was the one who detached the Jew from tradition,” said the white-bearded Schach, who is 92.

Lack of support from Schach left Peres with 60 seats in the 120-member Knesset, one short of the needed majority.

Schach was also less than encouraging for Shamir. In an apparent rebuke to Likud, Schach said that emphasis on territorial expansion is meaningless, at least in spiritual terms. “Territory doesn’t guarantee existence,” he declared.

In any case, even if Shamir counted the eight seats said to be under Schach’s control, he would garner only 60 seats--leaving him, like Peres, with one too few.

Peres has at least another two weeks to piece together a government. Chaim Herzog, who holds the country’s largely ceremonial position of president, will decide whether he should keep trying or whether someone else should get the chance.

Shamir stuck to his view that should Peres fail to form a government, he would try.

“I am convinced that we (Likud) have more chances (than Labor),” he said Tuesday.

Shamir spoke against new elections but vaguely in favor of electoral changes.

“I think it’s necessary for the national interest,” he said.

But when asked point-blank whether he would immediately propose electoral reform to the Knesset, he equivocated.

“Well, I have to think about it,” he said.

Meanwhile, public opinion appears to be growing edgy.

“We could go on like this forever: fractured Knesset; narrow tactical moves substituting for statesmanship; continued rule by the minority,” predicted Reichmann, the Tel Aviv law dean.