Israel's governing Labor Party had been favored…

Israel's governing Labor Party had been favored to win the upcoming election by early 1995, but Yitzhak Rabin's assassination in November has weakened Labor's electoral appeal.

Shimon Peres, as Israel's acting prime minister, pushes hard for an early peace deal with Syria.

Although urged by close advisers to call an immediate election to capitalize on sympathy for Rabin, Peres hopes first to consolidate his leadership position through a major breakthrough with Syria.

In February, when Hafez al-Assad indicates he will meet the Israeli leader only after a peace deal has been struck, Peres calls an early election for May.