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Barak smiles as he meets Israel President Ezer Weizman RELATED VIDEO CNN's Jerrold Kessel reports on the Israeli prime minister-elect's plans to organize a new governing coalition Real 28K 80K Windows Media 28K 80K  IMAGE GALLERY: A landslide onto shaky ground IN-DEPTH SPECIAL: Israeli elections

May 23, 1999
Web posted at: 8:18 p.m. EDT (0018 GMT)

JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Israel's prime minister-elect, Ehud Barak, told thousands of cheering supporters Sunday that he intends to create a "broad government" open to any political group that wants to help heal the divisions within Israeli society.

"I am determined, together with all -- all -- parties that want to lend a shoulder, to ensure that Israel embarks on a new path," he said at a victory rally organized by the One Israel political alliance, led by his Labor Party.

"I am aware of the desire to rise truly above all the arguments, to put an end to division, hate and acrimony among us and to stride together towards a better future for Israel," he said.

"We will propose to anyone who wants to follow our path to join a broad government," he said.

On Monday, a week after winning a sweeping mandate to become Israel's next prime minister, Barak will begin discussions with other political parties aimed at securing the 61 votes he needs for a majority in the 120-member Knesset.

Barak ally says Syrian peace talks will resume

Also on Sunday, a Labor lawmaker close to Barak, Ephraim Sneh, said that one of the new prime minister's early moves will be to reopen peace talks with Syria that stalled in 1996.

Sneh said the negotiations were key in fulfilling Barak's campaign pledge to withdraw Israeli troops from southern Lebanon within a year.

Barak would likely tie the degree of Israel's withdrawal to the degree of Syrian's agreement to normalize relations and trade with Israel, a position similar to that of the late Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, Sneh said.

Barak could turn to Likud, Shas

In Israel, voting for prime minister is done separately from voting for Knesset seats. So although Barak captured 56 percent of the vote in a one-on-one race with outgoing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his One Israel bloc only won 26 seats.

Speculation in Israel centers on whether Barak will turn to Netanyahu's Likud Party, which controls 19 seats, or the ultra-Orthodox Shas party, which has 17.

While Shas and Labor have similar views on the peace process, the religious party is anathema to many secular Barak supporters. At Sunday's rally, some in the crowd chanted "Just not Shas." Barak did not react.

Former Labor Prime Minister Shimon Peres said Saturday that he would not oppose including Shas in a ruling coalition. However, Barak has said there will be no place for Shas in the government if the party's controversial leader, Aryeh Deri, remains in control.

Netanyahu will reportedly leave Knesset

It also might be difficult for Barak to reconcile his left-leaning supporters with the right-leaning Likud, under whose watch the peace process was stalled for most of the past three years.

Likud members of the Knesset, whose ranks were thinned from 32 to 19 in last Monday's election, met Sunday to discuss whether to join a broad government with Barak.

Defense Minister , named acting chairman of Likud when Netanyahu resigned that position following his defeat, reportedly leans toward joining Barak -- a path Netanyahu opposes.

The outgoing prime minister has told close associates that he is considering dropping out of political life rather than follow other Likud leaders into the One Israel bloc, according to Ha'aretz Daily. Israel radio also reported Sunday that Netanyahu plans to leave the Knesset.

Correspondent Jerrold Kessel, The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.