REPORT FROM JERUSALEM:

Up until now Israel's national elections have been dominated by the war against Hamas. A few polls have reported that a majority of Israelis believe Israel stopped its defensive operations too soon, before the job was completed. Probably to deflect some of this criticism the current government has ordered the Israeli Defense Forces to carry out a vigorous response to recent Hamas attacks.

But as Israel executes bombing raids against Hamas and smuggling tunnels, the issue of Jerusalem has taken center stage in the election campaign. In a speech yesterday, former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu committed himself and a government he would head to defending an undivided Jerusalem. He noted his stellar record on this issue and promised to take Jerusalem off the negotiating table. One wonders if he gave this speech on the day that United States Special Envoy George Mitchell landed in Israel to send a message to President Obama.

Also, yesterday, Netanyahu used Jerusalem to send a shot across the bow of political rival Avigdor Lieberman. Lieberman, who leads a Right wing party which is committed to land exchanges that would displace the Israeli Arab population, has been the "surprise" of these elections. Public polls have Lieberman's Party receiving the third largest vote in the coming election. He is clearly drawing votes from beyond his natural Russian base from Right wing voters who want to rid( non-violently) Israel of its Arab population. Lieberman's tough image is attractive to many on the Right but many of these possible supporters probably don't realize that Lieberman has called for portions of Jerusalem to be given to the Palestinians.

Netanyahu used a forum in Jerusalem to educate people that Lieberman is not committed to keeping the status quo in Jerusalem.

Jerusalem has also become the center piece of the campaign of the Shas Party. They charge that the current Kadima led government would divide Jerusalem and that they left the government because of Kadima's willingness to divide the Holy City.

Meanwhile, in an interview with Haaretz, Kadima's head, Tzipi Livni, said that she could "work with Lieberman as part of her government" as she strongly criticized Netanyahu and Barak.

As the national election campaign draws to a close (February 10 is election day) the differences between the candidates are becoming clearer. Of the candidates for Prime Minister, on the issue of Jerusalem Netanyahu is the only one committed to keeping Jerusalem undivided under the sovereignty of the State of Israel. Both Livni and Barak have demonstrated to Israel's protagonists that they are willing to give them portions of the Holy City.