Yafeh says he doesn't think Arafat "is the true Palestinian leader. Arafat only wants to fight against a peaceful solution," he says. "Palestinians who live here, on the other hand, are looking to live peacefully with us.

"Eventually, there may be a Palestinian state," Yafeh continues. "It would be on part of the West Bank and affiliated with Jordan. A completely independent Palestinian state on the West Bank just isn't viable--economically or politically. It would only be used as a springboard against Israel, and would never bring peace.

"For a real peace," he says. "I'd be willing to withdraw from a majority of the West Bank so they can make their own state in confederation with Jordan, where most of the Palestinians now live. Withdrawing from Jerusalem, of course, is out of the question, although the Arabs could have exterritorial rights for their holy sites.

"It may not be everything they want," says Yafeh, "but they must remember it's not everything we want either. We would be giving up land that belongs to us historically, biblically. We would not be giving up land that belongs to the Arabs, but rather, in the interest of peace. I am willing to amputate a part of my body in order to coexist with them."

* * *

Yossi Sarid, at 35, is one of the younger members of Mapai, and does not always agree with the party leadership. He moved last year from Tel Aviv to the northern development town of Kiryat Shmons where Arab terrorists had killed 28 men, women and children earlier in the year.

"I felt I had to do something, had to contribute more than I did before," he explains. "Also, when I was living in Tel Aviv between the Sheraton and Hilton hotels, it was harder to legitimately express my views on Israeli social problems."

Sarid says the social gap between Jews of European and non-European background is as important in Israel as foreign policy, but that defense needs almost always take precedence.

"I'm a dove on foreign policy," he says and I think the doves in the Labor Alignment represent the mainstream of the coalition.

"If the Arabs would be willing to sign a peace treaty," he says, then I'd be willing to withdraw from all the territories, with a few minor amendments. I believe there may soon be a breakthrough in negotiations with Egypt--I don't know about a peace treaty--and with Egypt, war is not possible in the Middle East.

"I also think," he adds, that in the very near future we will be obliged to talk with representatives of the Palestinians, that is to say, representatives of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). I think Israel should say: If the PLO recognizes Israel's right to exist with secure borders, we will negotiate with them.

"I think Arafat represents the Palestinians," says Sarid, disagreeing with Yafeh. "There is no other leader who is able to represent them. Maybe right after the Six-Day War local Palestinian leaders could have arisen. But we did everything to prevent it, and now, even the other potential Palestinian leaders admit that Arafat and the PLO are the only true representatives.

"A Palestinian solution might involve a Palestinian state," he says. "I'm not advocating a separate state," he hastens to add, "but a kind of federation between Jordan and Palestinian territories. We can live side by side."

* * *

Ehud Olmert and Yoram Avidor are members of the hawkish opposition block, Likud. Olmert, at 29 the youngest Knesset member, belongs to the Free Center party and Avidor, 42, is a member of the somewhat more conservative Cherut party.