Netanyahu fights surge from rightwing opponent before election

[socal]

Even better...

Naftali Bennett of the Jewish Home party believes Jews have a God-given right to the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza. Photograph: Uriel Sinai/Getty Images

Israel's prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, has been forced to recalibrate his election campaign in response to a downward spiral in opinion polls due to a surprise challenge from an ultra-nationalist startup millionaire and veteran of Israel's most elite commando unit.
New tactics are expected to be in evidence on Sunday when Netanyahu appears at a youth rally, following the panicked cancellation of an event on Thursday after dismal turnouts at two campaign rallies earlier in the week.
On the advice of his campaign strategist, US Republican adviser Arthur Finkelstein, the prime minister will stop making direct attacks on Naftali Bennett, whose far-right Jewish Home party has gained unexpected momentum. Assaults on the 40-year-old Bennett have boosted his electoral appeal, analysts say.
Netanyahu will focus instead on extreme rightwing and ultra-religious members of Jewish Home who are in contention to gain parliamentary seats in the election on 22 January – dubbed by some as the "list of lunatics". Bennett has said his candidates are "the best of the best".
The battle on the far right of the political spectrum has rattled Likud-Beiteinu, the electoral partnership forged between Netanyahu and the rightwing former foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman, at the start of the campaign. Netanyahu is reported to have shouted at party workers last week, and Finkelstein flew in from the US a week ahead of schedule to advise on how to staunch the loss of voters.
A Jerusalem Post poll on Friday forecast 32 seats for Likud-Beiteinu in the 120-member parliament, down from a total of 42 currently held by the two parties and from Finkelstein's forecast of 47 at the time of the merger. Jewish Home was on course to win 16 seats, putting it within spitting distance of becoming Israel's second-largest party, a position at present held by Labour, who are predicted to take 17 seats. The Post poll followed the pattern of numerous recent surveys showing Bennett's party steadily gaining at the expense of Likud-Beiteinu.
Analysts say Bennett's support is strongest among voters under 40. Around a third of those saying they will back Jewish Home, which is strongly identified with the religious right, define themselves as secular. "Bennett's success comes from being young and fresh and offering hope and change," said pollster Rafi Smith.
Gil Hoffman, chief political correspondent of the Post, said: "Bennett is seen as a cool guy and salt of the earth. You couldn't come up with two things more respected in Israel than hi-tech success and serving in Sayeret Matkal [the elite special forces army unit] – and Bennett has both."
The son of US immigrants, Bennett made $145m from selling his hi-tech startup before becoming Netanyahu's chief of staff for four years until 2008. His politics are far right, nationalist and religious. He believes Jews have a God-given right to the whole of Eretz Israel – which includes the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza – and advocates the expansion of settlements.
According to Yedidia Stern of the Israel Democracy Institute, "a long-term change in Israeli society" underlies Bennett's immediate popularity. "More and more Israelis are strengthening their Jewish identity, not necessarily becoming more religious but becoming more connected to Jewish identity. We've seen it in academia and the media; now we're witnessing the political expression." The conviction among many Israelis that the Palestinians were unwilling to negotiate an acceptable peace settlement bolstered a belief that "we have to be strong. And to be strong in Israel means to be rightwing," said Stern.
Netanyahu remains on course to form the next coalition government and continue as prime minister, however. The rightwing bloc, including the small ultra-Orthodox parties, is expected to win 63-68 seats, giving it a majority, according to Smith. But if Jewish Home's success holds up, Bennett could find himself with powerful leverage in post-election horse trading and in contention to become a minister. However, Smith predicts the party could fall back in the polls over the next two weeks. "Bennett may have peaked too early. He will probably go down by a few seats unless Likud-Beiteinu continues with its misguided campaign against him. But he should still get 11-12 seats. Netanyahu knows he will still be prime minister, but may not succeed in his goal, which was to entrench and extend his power."
With just over two weeks to go before the election, 15-20% of voters are still undecided, said Smith

[piwanoi]

He appears to be a bit of an extremist by all accounts ,but by Hamas and Hezbollah and some other Arab states standards who want to wipe the Jews of the face of the planet to the last man ,women, and child he's just a harmless pussy cat! as usual my mate Pat puts it far better than myself

[Butterfly]

just another Israeli Nazi,

at least he is honest about it, unlike that POS of Netan

[sabang]

I find it intriguing that high appointments to the US government have to run the gauntlet of Israeli public opinion and the hawkish/ right wing Jewish lobbies, but nobody in Israel or their many lapdogs in the US government gives a flying toss what Uncle Sam might think of Israeli political appointees and candidates.

[Rural Surin]

just another Israeli Nazi,

at least he is honest about it, unlike that POS of Netan

This plays to contradictory.

Netanyahu's opposition are hard-line extreme right-wingers....??

If so - what is Netanyahu?......making Mussolini look as if a flaming Liberal.

[wasabi]

Not much voters choice there. Vote between a rock and a hard place.

[OhOh]

It's democracy at it's best.

[robuzo]

I find it intriguing that high appointments to the US government have to run the gauntlet of Israeli public opinion and the hawkish/ right wing Jewish lobbies, but nobody in Israel or their many lapdogs in the US government gives a flying toss what Uncle Sam might think of Israeli political appointees and candidates.

Shelly Adelson's money says Hagel can't be SecDef. More of the nasty little gangster's dough down the drain, because Obama is going to win this one, too.

[piwanoi]

I find it rather odd but highly predictable that no member remarks about Hamas and Hezbollah along with their bankrollers Iran and other Islamic middle Eastern states would like nothing better than to wipe the people of Israel off the face of the Earth ,of course some may kid themselves and say this about land occupied by the Jews ,but in reality this is nonsense , their "holy book" the Koran makes many mentions that Jews should be slaughtered wherever they are found ,not because of land but simply because they are Jews ,just like they want to murder "infidels", as the acts of Islamic terrorism in the West like the London transport bombings and the one in Madrid plus many that have been thwarted by our security forces ,Israel poses no threat to us in the West ,yet many hate them with a passion ,almost it would appear like Hitler did in the "good old days" of the Holocaust ,yeah it would appear that anti Semitism is very much alive and well on these boards for whatever reason! and it would appear that no one has take 5 minutes or so and viewed Condells Video but if you have you certainly ain't taken aboard what he has to say .

[Rural Surin]

It's democracy at it's best.

....with the U.S. and U.K. pulling a few strings here and there.
Per usual.

[piwanoi]

It's democracy at it's best.

....with the U.S. and U.K. pulling a few strings here and there.
Per usual.

Pulling strings?, Ahh yes obviously you are referring to "financial purse strings" much the same as Iran is funding Hamas and Hezbollah with hundreds of millions of "petro dollars" and will continue to do so just as long as Hamas and Hezbollah continue to keep their stance that Israel and its people should be wiped off the face of the planet ,maybe you could elaborate as to just why the US is "pulling strings" in Israel especially bearing in mind that Netanyahu and Obama are hardly seeing eye to eye on several important points , which has been very well reported to the worlds media

[Butterfly]

no member remarks about Hamas and Hezbollah along with their bankrollers Iran and other Islamic middle Eastern states would like nothing better than to wipe the people of Israel off the face of the Earth

words but actions speak louder, Israel is definitely on the path to exterminate Palestinians off the earth, so much for double standard

Israelis are scums, not Jews, and a few bombs on their cities is perfectly appropriate to remind them of their murderous actions

[piwanoi]

no member remarks about Hamas and Hezbollah along with their bankrollers Iran and other Islamic middle Eastern states would like nothing better than to wipe the people of Israel off the face of the Earth

words but actions speak louder, Israel is definitely on the path to exterminate Palestinians off the earth, so much for double standard

Israelis are scums, not Jews, and a few bombs on their cities is perfectly appropriate to remind them of their murderous actions

Of course you can supply an independent link which endorses your wild completely baseless allegations that the Israelis wish to commit genocide against the Palestinians ,thank you in advance for supplying it ,now either put up or shut up and in closing try and post the Israeli equivalent to this Video

[sabang]

as long as Hamas and Hezbollah continue to keep their stance that Israel and its people should be wiped off the face of the planet

A lot less people will be saying (and thinking) that when they get off their arse and sort the situation out. One state or two state, both about equally likely now.

[piwanoi]

as long as Hamas and Hezbollah continue to keep their stance that Israel and its people should be wiped off the face of the planet

A lot less people will be saying (and thinking) that when they get off their arse and sort the situation out. One state or two state, both about equally likely now.

Yeah fair comment, but how can Israel sit round the bargaining table with Hamas when they have denied over and over again Israel's very right to exist?? ,on the other hand Mahmoud Abbas of Fattah on the West bank wants peace with Israel , and for this Hamas in Gaza call him a traitor ,loads of info if you want to check it out

[Norton]

Hamas supports a two state solution but refuses to recognize Israel as a legitimate state. This should work out well if Hamas is involved in "peace" talks.

[piwanoi]

Hamas supports a two state solution but refuses to recognize Israel as a legitimate state. This should work out well if Hamas is involved in "peace" talks.

The crux of the problem is for all to see, Hamas in Gaza do not want peace with Israel at any price , where as Fattah on the West Bank does, for this Mahmoud Abbas has been labled a traitor to "the cause" Hamas cannot even agree fellow Palestinians Fattah never mind their sworn enemies Israel Mahmoud Abbas Palestinian right to return comments its all in the link and not the usual anti Semitism fact less bullshit which appears to be stock in trade with certain members

[leemo]

as long as Hamas and Hezbollah continue to keep their stance that Israel and its people should be wiped off the face of the planet

A lot less people will be saying (and thinking) that when they get off their arse and sort the situation out. One state or two state, both about equally likely now.

No such thing as a two-state solution with Israel and the Paleostinians living side by side happily ever after. Still, that fiction as promoted in the rarefied atmospheres of DC and the liberal media, would allow Israel to survive as a Jewish state a bit longer than the reality of a three-state solution (Israel/PA/Gaza) which all parties know every other party really means, and which in time will become two warring provinces of a single state, Paleostine, as the region begins to devolve a thousand years.

The search for peaceful solutions is as much a hoax as the "Arab Spring" was, though admittedly the latter did hype up support from many of the brain dead masses. And now that the rebels versus dictators in the name of freedom and democracy has resulted in the rebels becoming the dictators, Western leaders and media are scrambling for something else to keep the mindless focused.

btw, I hear rumblings of dissent from the poor downtrodden masses in Jordan, yearning for no more than a whiff of freedom and democracy. Perhaps Syria will not be the last secular dictatorship on Obama's chopping list to be replaced by an Islamist dictator.

[piwanoi]

Maybe the answer lies here in this link , if the Israeli bashers care to read it ,Hamas want ALL of the state of Israel to be turned into an Islamic one ,you call that a bargaining chip to sit round the peace table with ? , Hamas were elected in June 07 in Gaza after a protracted civil war with Fattah why have they not held another General Election if they believe in Democracy as Israel does ,IMHO IF ONE CARES to read this article you will plainly see that a lasting peace with Hamas as part of the peace process is quite frankly delving into the realms of fantasy .Hamas - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[socal]

Hamas supports a two state solution but refuses to recognize Israel as a legitimate state. This should work out well if Hamas is involved in "peace" talks.

The crux of the problem is for all to see, Hamas in Gaza do not want peace with Israel at any price , where as Fattah on the West Bank does, for this Mahmoud Abbas has been labled a traitor to "the cause" Hamas cannot even agree fellow Palestinians Fattah never mind their sworn enemies Israel Mahmoud Abbas Palestinian right to return comments its all in the link and not the usual anti Semitism fact less bullshit which appears to be stock in trade with certain members

Hamas even attacked Fattah a few years ago within the Gaza borders. That says allot about Hamas and the Arabs.

[sabang]

You do not have to like Hamas to realise they are being used as a public scapegoat by the right wing Netanyahu coalition, to 'excuse' it's own foot dragging in resuming the peace talks, and making some sense. Actually, Hamas have said several times that they are willing to recognise the Israeli state- but only when the state of Palestine is formed, and recognised by Israel (it is already recognised as a state by the UN anyway). Israel insists they must recognise Israel prior to coming to any agreement, and continues it's blatant policy of surrounding East Jerusalem with settlements. Moderates just see the one state solution becoming more demographically inevitable every year from this impasse, and so what- the current population of Israel is over 20% Palestinian anyway.

[piwanoi]

Hamas supports a two state solution but refuses to recognize Israel as a legitimate state. This should work out well if Hamas is involved in "peace" talks.

The crux of the problem is for all to see, Hamas in Gaza do not want peace with Israel at any price , where as Fattah on the West Bank does, for this Mahmoud Abbas has been labled a traitor to "the cause" Hamas cannot even agree fellow Palestinians Fattah never mind their sworn enemies Israel Mahmoud Abbas Palestinian right to return comments its all in the link and not the usual anti Semitism fact less bullshit which appears to be stock in trade with certain members

Hamas even attacked Fattah a few years ago within the Gaza borders. That says allot about Hamas and the Arabs.

Hmm Socal, Clouding the issue with "plain irrefutable facts" I see ,this will never do as it throws the "bullshit brigade" into sullen confusion! as you say Hamas and Fattah were slaughtering each like sheep in their "civil war" and broke ceasefire agreements between each other like I break pie crusts ,I read now that a senior Hamas leader is calling for a third "Intifada "against the Israeli's ,hardly trying to make peace overtures is it ?

[slackula]

YOU hate the Jews ,just like the Muslims do

And yet 3 Jews hold seats in the Iranian parliament.

How many Baptists get to vote on a Vatican council?

[OhOh]

^and many Jews live there without too much aggro. Amazing Jews and Muslims living in the same country.

How many Arabs elected in Israel?

[piwanoi]

^and many Jews live there without too much aggro. Amazing Jews and Muslims living in the same country.

How many Arabs elected in Israel?

Always do a little research before hitting the keyboard is my motto, it saves any back tracking later Arab citizens of Israel - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia the Arab men /women have full voting rights and there are Arabs in politics in Israel too, but the better question by far to ask is how many Jews are living openly in Gaza and both men and Women have voting rights also you may ask when did they have their GE in Gaza were Hamas was elected and why have they not had another since?