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Support mixed with concern
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THE world reacted to Sharon's victory with a mixed feeling, some pessimistic and some optimistic.
US President George W Bush was swift to congratulate Ariel Sharon for his landslide victory as other world and regional leaders expressed caution, if not outright concern.
"The president told Prime Minister-elect Sharon he looked forward to working with him, especially with regard to advancing peace and stability in the region," a White House spokesman said.
Arafat said on Tuesday that he hoped the peace process would continue under the Likud party leader, who has said that he considers the Oslo peace process "dead".
However, other Palestinian leaders voiced fears on Wednesday that Sharon could bulldoze years of peace negotiations and push the Middle East into a gory conflict.
For the Palestinian Islamic militant group Hamas, Sharon's victory would serve to motivate resistance to Israel.
Neighbouring Jordan was awaiting signs of how Sharon intended to conduct his administration, Foreign Minister Abdel Ilah al-Khatib said.
Lebanese President Emile Lahoud said the result of the election shows that the Mideast peace process is "on the reverse way", official NNA news agency reported.
Lebanon's radical Hezbollah said on Wednesday the victory of Ariel Sharon as Israel's prime minister and his history of "butcheries" will only force an escalation of the Palestinian uprising.
"The crisis will escalate inside Palestinian territories because there will be more Jihad (holy war) operations and suicide bombings," Hajj Mahmud Qomati, deputy president of the Hezbollah politburo, said.
Syria called on the Arab world on Wednesday to respond to the election of Ariel Sharon as prime minister of Israel, calling it "a declaration of war", with an "effective preparation for defence".
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak voiced hope for peace in the Middle East despite discouraging statements from Ariel Sharon.
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Wednesday expressed the hope the new Israeli government would continue the search for peace in the Middle East.
Most European leaders complied with diplomatic usage by congratulating Israel's prime minister-elect Ariel Sharon on Wednesday, but fears for the future of the peace process with the Palestinians showed through in many reactions.
Norwegian Foreign Minister Thorbjoern Jagland expressed deep concern about prospects for peace.
"If Sharon implements what he said he would during the election campaign, there is every reason to fear what will happen" in the region, Jagland said.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair has congratulated incoming Israeli premier Ariel Sharon and offered him the help of Britain and the EU to build a more stable future for the Middle East.
Russia said on Wednesday it expected the prime minister-elect's victory to help build peace in the Middle East.
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