Premier hailed as heir to Rabin

Israelis shouted the phrase over and over during a post-election bash in Tel Aviv's Yitzhak Rabin Square.

Shortly before midnight and only two hours after the polls closed Monday night, thousands upon thousands gathered at the site where the prime minister was assassinated following a peace rally in November 1995.

They came to extol the victory of Ehud Barak, who considered Rabin his mentor and who had just been propelled into the prime minister's seat by the greatest landslide Israel has ever seen in its 51-year history.

Barak specifically campaigned on the promise he would continue Rabin's legacy.

And true to form, Barak came to Rabin Square for his victory speech.

"If Yitzhak is looking down on us from where he may be, he knows that we together will fulfill his legacy," Barak said. "We need to strengthen our country's security by moving forward to peace agreements."

His words were met with cheers from the young crowd. With car horns blaring in the background, they shouted, "Rabin's way has won."

Barak is cut from the same cloth as Rabin. Both were career soldiers and former generals thrust into politics. Even their personalities were similar. Dry speakers without much sense of humor, they approached every decision with tactical precision and did not easily suffer long-winded advisers.

To know Barak is to know that his fondness of Rabin is not just a political ploy. Barak loved his mentor.

It was no surprise that after a very short night's rest, Barak went to Rabin's gravesite -- a national monument on Mount Herzl visited by nearly every group that comes to Israel.

Rabin's family members and Rabin's closest political associates surrounded Barak.

"A circle has been closed here at Yitzhak Rabin's grave. A possibility has been opened to fulfill the legacy of Yitzhak Rabin, and I am committed to that path," Barak said.

"Yitzhak Rabin was my teacher, my commander and my personal friend. He was the person who brought me into political life and into his government only months before his murder...and I see myself as continuing his path."

Rabin's widow stood with her daughter, Dalia Rabin-Pelosoff, who this week was elected to the Knesset with the Center Party.

Leah Rabin was noticeably moved by Barak's words, saying it was the first day since her husband's assassination that she has been truly happy.

Later in the day, Barak also made the traditional post-election visit to the Western Wall.

Speaking to the press after putting a note in the Wall, he repeated the same promise he made at Monday night's rally -- to be "a prime minister for everyone, for all those who voted for me, for those who did not.

"For Sephardim and Ashkenazim, for Orthodox and secular, for oldtimers and new, for Jews and Arabs, I will be prime minister for all the people of Israel."