Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon tastes water at the opening of a
desalinisation plant in Ketziot, in the Negev desert southern Israel
December 19, 2002. Sharon's ruling Likud Party currently faces a
electoral fraud scandal that is cutting into its lead over the
centre-left Labour party ahead of January 28 national elections.
REUTERS/Tsafrir Abayov

HL/JDP