As polls predicted, in February Israeli voters, demoralized by the escalating violence in the West Bank and Gaza, elected the hawkish Ariel Sharon Prime Minister by a huge margin. Nevertheless, even as more and more Israelis were losing confidence in Arafat as a negotiating partner, grassroots peace efforts spearheaded by women continued. For example, after the United Nations Security Council unanimously passed a resolution last October calling for the equal participation of women in all international negotiations, Israeli women took their cue. Alice Shalvi, founder of Israel Women’s Network, and others urged Israeli women to use the resolution to demand their inclusion in the peace talks, which have been men-only.