The desparation of Netanyahu, with his appeal to extremism, failed ( the alliance of Likud/Beitenu lost 11 seats to drop to 31). His attempts to outflank Bennett of Israel is our Home and his message of no "two-state", more settlements and nothing for the Palestinians (annexation, which would have turned Israeli in an apartheid ,minority, Jewish state), thankfully backfired. Shas (12) and its demands for continued deferment from the military and continued handouts from the government, when the country is suffering economically and living conditions are worsening was rejected but Yair Lapid of There is a Future, with his call for peace with the Palestinians, military service for all, including the Orthodox and the Palestinian/Arabs, more attention to domestic matters was rewarded (19) and so was Labor and Shelley Yachimovich(18).
The voters woke up and slapped Netanyahu down. More than 6% more turned out and only 11 of the 34 parties won seats. Now the "souk" politics take over, deals and trade offs, inducements and even "bribes". This is politics at its basest.
The Right have 61 seats and the centre-left/ moderates have 59. This allows Netanyahu to try to cobble together a coalition. What comes out of this "sausage-maker" will be unwieldy, rancorous and short-lived with elections in 18 months and for the new star Lapid, Isreal's Chuck Norris to capitalise with his moderation.
The voters woke up and slapped Netanyahu down. More than 6% more turned out and only 11 of the 34 parties won seats. Now the "souk" politics take over, deals and trade offs, inducements and even "bribes". This is politics at its basest.
The Right have 61 seats and the centre-left/ moderates have 59. This allows Netanyahu to try to cobble together a coalition. What comes out of this "sausage-maker" will be unwieldy, rancorous and short-lived with elections in 18 months and for the new star Lapid, Isreal's Chuck Norris to capitalise with his moderation.
