Livni Beating Netanyahu
Here's the exit polls:from Ha'aretz
Channel 1, Channel 2 and Channel 10 polling of voters as they left the ballot box all pointed to victory for Kadima, headed by Tzipi Livni.
The Channel 1 poll gave Kadima 30 seats, Likud 28 seats, and Labor 13 seats. Yisrael Beiteinu is predicted to win 14 seats, according to the poll.
According to the Channel 2 poll, Kadima will hold 29 seats, Likud will take 27 seats and Labor 13 seats. Yisrael Beiteinu will have 15 seats in the new Knesset.
The Channel 10 poll indicated that Likud will take 28 seats, Kadima will hold 30 seats and Labor 13 seats. Yisrael Beiteinu will have 15 seats.
REMEMBER, all that matters is that neo-fascist Lieberman not be in the government. Better a Bibi led government without him than a Livni-led government with him. That's the main thing, although a general loss by the right would be delightful. But it is also why a Livni win is no cause for cheering. She is very likely to invite Lieberman into her government. Less likely that Bibi would (the two rightwingers hate each other).
what is the real difference between Bibi and Livni?
makeup.
February 10, 2009 3:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
REMEMBER, all that matters is that neo-fascist Lieberman not be in the government. Better a Bibi led government without him than a Livni-led government with him.
I don't get it. Netanyahu has already pledged to put Lieberman in the government, hasn't he? And Likud has no way to form a government without Yisrael Beiteinu does it?
And it's quite wrong to say "all that matters" is that we don't get Lieberman. That's a gross case of succumbing to the most drearily diminished expectations. If the Israelis run Vlad the Impaler in the next election, will we then say that Lieberman is OK, since all that matters is that we don't get Dracula?
February 10, 2009 4:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
Exactly!!!! Beautiful.
It's like: "McCain or Romney are okay so long as we don't get Giuliani" times a hundred
February 10, 2009 4:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
And what will Lieberman's portfolio be: Ministry of Harassing Arab Citizens?
February 10, 2009 4:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
Only, Lieberman is hated by the ultra-orthodox nutjobs and hates them back....It's the only thing about him that's not contemptible.
February 11, 2009 12:01 AM | Reply | Permalink
For those interested in election results, I suggest following Ynet news rather than Haaretz as it's faster moving and the "breaking news" features includes stuff like:
"Senior Likud party members said that "the first and most important move we'll take would be to form an obstructive block with all right-wing parties in order to thwart an attempt by (Kadima Chairwoman Tzipi) Livni to form a government."
The party plans to form the obstructive block as soon as possible by getting Yisrael Beiteinu, Habayit Hayehudi, Shas and the National Union to support Netanyahu for prime minister."
http://www.ynetnews.com/home/0,7340,L-3089,00.html
February 10, 2009 4:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks, Lally. If Likud makes it clear that they will not form a government with Kadima, then this is all over for Livni and Kadima, right? Peres will have to ask Netanyahu to form a government.
Haaretz says:
In some respects, the Israeli electorate appeared to have indicated a leaning toward centrism, granting unexpected support to both Kadima and the center-right Likud.
But that seems way off. First, it requires accepting the new definition of Likud as "center-right". But that only makes superficial sense because of the presence of the more extremist right-wing parties. Likud is not in the "center" of anything except the new bizarro center of the radicalized Israeli electorate.
Also, if you add up the support for all the right wing parties, it is clear that a strong majority of the Israeli electorate is on the righ.
Note how we now regard Kadima as the "center" party. But Kadima is Ariel Sharon's party! It was seen as center-right, and Likud hard right, until Israel shifted even further rightward.
February 10, 2009 4:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ah, politics and strange Bedfellows. Likud will get Shas and Yisrael Beiteinu. And then Shas and YB can fight over who controls the institution of marriage.
February 10, 2009 4:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
Haaretz may trying to reassure it's lefty American fanbase that Kadima is something it isn't. After all, we supposedly share democratic values with the Israeli electorate, don't we. No one's afraid of "centrists".
But no matter, both National Union and Shas have indicated they will support Bibi as PM.
Arutz Sheva's "news brief" feed has this:
"(IsraelNN.com) Channel 2's correspondent Amit Segal and host Ilana Dayan said that Avigdor Lieberman intends to state Wednesday that he supports Likud chief Binyamin Netanyahu for the position of Prime Minister.
Another political correspondent, Rina Matzliach, said that these reports are emanating from Likud and that she doubts Lieberman will make such an announcement Wednesday."
Bibi is moving fast.
February 10, 2009 5:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is what Juan Cole feared in this morning's post
http://www.juancole.com/2009/02/dilemma-for-obama-in-mideast-israeli.html
February 10, 2009 4:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
Not true. It is only a severe problem for Abbas. You see, he has staked his life on selling out his people in vain hope that his Zionists bosses will deed him 2-3 square miles of Palestine as a state. Now, he won't even get that.
Whenever an American politician claims that "we can't make peace," he/she means that "we are not going to pressure Israel." Unless we are prepared to pressure Israel, there will be no peace. It really is that simple.
February 10, 2009 5:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yup..But I think Tzipi the PinHead finished ole Abu Mazen off, with the Channukah Chop
February 10, 2009 5:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is mildly surprising, since the polls were predicting a strong Netanyahu win until just recently. Tzipi is far better than Netanyahu, who has been making some extremely disturbed comments of late (even moreso than usual), although it's a meaningless difference if she has to form a government with Lieberman anyway.
I was very pleasantly surprised to read an OpEd just recently in the Jerusalem Post that came out very strongly against Lieberman, and specifically said that voters should reject both Netanyahu and Livni. It was essentially an endorsement of Ehud Barak, although it may be that the choice was a "least worst" one. http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1233304720997&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
It may be that I've read more into it that I should, and the JP has posted OpEds from people supporting a variety of candidates, but still...
Israeli politics seems so byzantine that it becomes opaque at a certain point. I wish Israel the best in the elections.
February 10, 2009 6:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
She is very likely to invite Lieberman into her government. Less likely that Bibi would (the two rightwingers hate each other).
Maybe I am confused. Why is it to Livni's advantage to form a unity government with Lieberman rather than a unity government with Netanyahu?
February 10, 2009 6:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
Crazy thing, this Israeli election!
February 11, 2009 11:46 AM | Reply | Permalink
http://lawrenceofcyberia.blogs.com/news/2009/01/a-land-without-a-people.html
Wonderful pictures of pre-Israel Jaffa. Some higher res.
And a typewritten report.
February 11, 2009 11:50 AM | Reply | Permalink