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Polls open across Israel in vote for New Government

by Sanjay Jha | February 9, 2009 at 09:23 pm

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People across Israel are queuing up to vote in a snap election called by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who is stepping down.

Former Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's right-wing Likud party has lost much support lately to the far-right, blatantly anti-Arab Yisrael Beitenu (Israel Our Home) party, leaving Likud with a very slim margin over the centrist Kadima (Forward) party, Netanyahu is still expected to become Israel's next premier. The favourite to become prime minister is Benjamin Netanyahu, leader of the right-wing opposition party, Likud.

But his opinion-poll lead has been reduced in recent weeks by Tzipi Livni, who heads the centrist Kadima, the largest party in the government.

Voting for the 18th Knesset began at 7 A.M. on Tuesday. 5,278,985 registered voters will be given a chance to cast their votes in 9263 ballots across the country until 10 P.M, and elect their representatives from among 33 factions.

In the morning, Likud chairman Benjamin Netanyahu will be asking himself how the devil he managed to lose about 10 seats in the polls in less than two months one seat for every two advisors - and thereby turn a certain victory into a tight race, a walk in the park into a stretcher march.

In the morning, Tzipi Livni will be asking herself how the devil she will manage to form a government, even if her Kadima party edges out Likud. And whether a government that will exist only by the grace of Yisrael Beiteinu head Avigdor Lieberman really represents the different, cleaner brand of politics she promised, or advances her stated goal of making peace.

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tikun

at 05:45 on February 10th, 2009

PLEASE use an opinion Tag on this one. thanks

Loulair Harton

at 13:37 on February 12th, 2009

We Can Have Peace in the Holy Land'

by Jimmy Carter

"Noting that those borders could be altered by negotiations, Carter said, "By the way, that's also what's been espoused most recently by the prime minister of Israel at this moment — that is, Ehud Olmert."

Carter said Olmert also realizes that Israel must withdraw from the West Bank, that Palestinians must be allowed to return to their land and that Israel must share Jerusalem.

"But there are two very difficult things," Carter said. "One is, Israel so far has not been willing to withdraw from Palestine, that is, from the West Bank. And secondly, the Palestinians will have to accept the proposition that all — a flood of Palestinians cannot return inside Israel.

"They'll have to return, I would say, into the West Bank and Gaza, not into Israel. And be compensated, those that can't return."

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http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=99870908