The Israeli people have begun to question his legitimacy as a leader, and he may not be able to recover those votes. Barak's inability to reach a peace agreement with the Palestinians is one of the major catalysts for the early election, and for that reason the peace process is dominating the election, Dorraj said. The BBC reports that Arab leaders throughout the region are concerned that a Sharon victory could move Israel to the brink of war. His hawkish stance on peace in the Middle East has raised red flags, particularly in Lebanon, where he led Israel's invasion of the country in 1982. Sharon, whose recent visits to Jerusalem's holy sites sparked a cycle of violence in the region, said if he is elected he will reverse most of the concessions Barak has made to the Palestinians.
Israeli society is no stranger to deeply-rooted, derisive political battles.
In a country riveted by political strife, politics are weighed with religious overtones and fraught with conflicts over territory and water. The conflict goes back to 1948 when the United Nations proclaimed Israel a state. According to the BBC, the political move displaced more than 3.7 million Palestinians. For the two sides the conflict is about land. Israel captured East Jerusalem in 1967.