Israeli Elections

The right wing in Israel has prevailed.


Many in the country were surprised and shocked when the leader of the kadimah party Zippi Livni was projected by exit polls to edge Likud head Benjamin Netanyahu in Knesset seats. After the initial shock wore off it became clear that Netanyahu would still become Prime minister. Why is that?

In Israel’s parliamentary system a 61 member majority is needed to initiate a new government. The right wing has 65 members in different parties making A left wing government an impossibility.

Wait it gets more complicated.


Netanyahu himself does not want a narrow right wing majority government. He very much prefers a much broader government that will include his rival Zippi Livni. That apparently will not happen. Livni who won edged Netanyahu by one seat will find it very difficult to take orders from him. In addition there seem to be real differences in foreign policy that cosmetic political wrangling will not fix. Bibi is against the 2 state solution and any Israel withdrawal from the Golan heights. These were basic parts of Livnis foreign policy agenda. It is hard to see how they could conduct foreign policy together.
Netanyahu also wanted the present Defense minister to stay on as Israel needed to get ready for a possible strike against Iran. That won’t be happening either. Some have suggested Ehud Barack the present Defense minister stay on against his parties wishes as a looming war with Iran seems more important than his own political party problems.



There are those in Kadimah who would like Livni to become the head of the opposition and wait for Netanyhus Government to fail causing new elections soon. That seems the likely scenario. If the Obama administration will push for Israeli concessions then there will be no movement from BibIs Government. Things will not be easy for the prime minister but then again they never are.

Bibi won’t like it but he may have no choice in the matter