Benyamin Netanyahu (Likud Party) : The firebrand Likud leader had been sharply critical of Sharon's recent policies including the one-side withdrawal from Gaza. One of the youngest contenders for the prime minister's seat, Netanyahu has become the voice of the hawkish right. His strong communication skills, flawless English and political forays have earned him a lot of airtime in the world media. He served as prime minister in the mid 1990s and as foreign then finance minister in Sharon's cabinet. His latest hardline statements were directed at Iran. He would not rule out a pre-emptive strike at Iranian nuclear facilities should he be elected. But the latest polls placed his Likud Party in third place and it remains to be seen if the end of Sharon's political career will re-boost his status as the top man among Israel's hawks. Shimon Perez (Kadima Party) : Known for stepping in to lead Israel albeit briefly in the aftermath of political crises, such as the 1995 assassination of former prime minister Yitzhak Rabin, Perez is arguably the most experienced and longest serving Israeli politician alive. An internationally recognised statesman and one of the main architects of the Oslo Accords, his return to the helm of the Israeli state could mean a re-activation of the peace negotiations that had reached a deadlock in the past few years. After supporting Sharon's policies as a partner in a coalition government, Perez lost his Labour Party leadership race last year and defected from the Labour Party to join the newly-formed Kadima Party founded by Sharon. Despite serving as prime minister twice and at almost every ministerial post, the 82-year-old has never won an election as party leader. Amir Peretz (Labour Party) : The 53-year-old who has focussed his campaign on aiding Israel's poor is a rookie on the national politics stage. The newly-elected head of the Labour Party rose to prominence through his long career as a union leader. A Sephardic Jew of Moroccan origin, Peretz is considered a dovish politician in Israel. He withdrew his party out of the ruling coalition with Sharon's Likud following his election as leader of the party, a move that triggered the call for the upcoming March poll. Tzipi Livni (Kadima) : The only woman among the potential heirs of Sharon, Livni was little known on the international stage prior to her appointment as immigration minister in 2002 and justice minister last year. The 47-year-old is a member of Kadima and a serious competitor to Olmert in the bid to lead the party. Livni is a former lawyer of Israel's secret service the Mossad and was a longtime Likud activist prior to her defection to Kadima. Ehud Olmert (Kadima) : Acting prime minister in the wake of Sharon's health collapse, Olmert is one of Sharon's most faithful allies. He was one of the first politicians to join Sharon in founding the new Kadima Party. A former mayor of Jerusalem who lacks the charisma of his boss, it remains to be seen whether the 60-year-old will be able, should he become the head of Kadima, to maintain the strong public support Sharon enjoyed during his tenure as prime minister. Shaoul Mofaz (Kadima) : The former Israeli chief of staff is responsible for overseeing the air strike assassinations of scores of Palestinian fighters and of Israel's ongoing policy of demolitions of Palestinian homes. The 57-year-old became minister of defence in 2003. He follows in the footsteps of a long line of Israeli leaders who climbed the ladder of political power through high military posts. Despite his hardline position vis-à-vis dealing with the Palestinians, he recently did not rule out holding talks with Hamas, should the latter renounce its armed struggle against the Jewish state.
