Likud ahead or level with Zionist Union in all 3 exit polls, better placed to build coalition; 71.8% turnout highest since 1999; delight in Likud, dismay in Zionist Union; Jewish Home slips.
The Day of the Dhimmi is Done - Michael Lumish, PhD, proprietor. (mike.lumish@gmail.com)
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
There is, I am told, an election or something today
Netanyahu declares victory, but Herzog in no hurry to concede
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Isaac Herzog insists Zionist Union’s fate is not yet sealed by tonight’s exit polls.
ReplyDelete“We achieved something extraordinary today,” he tells cheering supporters. “Since the elections of 1992, the election of Yitzhak Rabin, may his memory be blessed, we haven’t achieved such a result. This result enables us to return to power, and since we’re going to wait for the true results — every result right now is an exit poll — everything is still open.”
These (apparent) results helped clarify something I've been wondering about myself lately. Specifically, why am I sort of reluctant to fully support the Israeli left / center-left, when doing so comes automatically to me here in American politics?
ReplyDeleteI think it comes down to the fact that if Israelis themselves are (apparently) repeatedly unwilling to oust their center-right-led government, even at a time when a majority of Israeli voters seem to prioritize economic / quality of life issues, which would seem to indicate a more favorable playing field for Labor, then who am I to argue if they still vote in another Likud-led coalition?
They certainly know their situation better than I do, and I trust they made the right choice by them.
My view on the Israeli Left is pretty much my view on the western Left.
DeleteThe extent to which they are open to anti-Semitic anti-Zionism is the extent to which I want nothing to do with them.
They certainly know their situation better than I do, and I trust they made the right choice by them.
DeleteI guess that we have to think that.
We can't possibly really understand what their situation actually means for their everyday lives and their very real concerns for the future.
It is still too early to call, but caveats aside: If enough people have voted to make it possible for Likud to be able to form some kind of coalition, and for Herzog not to be able to do so, that is truly thought provoking. Or should be.
Yeah. And it's like School noted on the other post.
DeletePersonally, I probably would have preferred a Herzog government. But I didn't make much noise about that, because I'm an American and this wasn't my election.
It comes down to respect, and if you're not an Israeli, then you have to respect that the Israeli people have spoken, and have made their choice. If any given non-Israeli refuses to do so, then they are not really much of a supporter of Israel, in my opinion.
And I'm speaking about the J Street-types here, obviously.
DeleteNot the antisemites and Jew-haters, obviously. Nobody gives a crap what they think.
I mean the people *outside of Israel* (Israelis obviously can oppose their government all they want whenever they want) who claim to support Israel, but yet who never do much of anything meaningful on that count, and who, when they do speak about Israel, only seem to complain about their government. I say to those people, that they are not good friends of Israel. To say the least.
Just saw Mike's reply on that.
DeleteI probably agree that the Israeli left ( the political.class, and the pundits) are very much in lockstep with their international counterparts. There are however, individuals who are thoughtful, decent and more realistic about the complexities of the security situation, who have a more social / economic leftwing outlook. And are not drawn to constantly speaking ill of their own. I think.
Herzog is unproven and allowed Obama to interfere. The electorate knew they were being manipulated, and not by someone they consider a friend.
DeleteThe haters are not going to stop no matter who is in power.
You should see the cries and slurs being flung as it looks like Bibi will stay in charge!
DeleteIt is totally disgusting over there at DK/DSKF (Daily Storm Kos Front as they should be renamed)
David Harris-Gershon and the Daily Kos racist anti-Zionists are unhappy.
ReplyDeleteShocking, I know.
About our favorite kapo DHG
DeleteHE stated
First, were I to be voting in Israel's elections, I would either be voting for the joint Arab-Jewish list (which could end up coming in third place, amazingly), or Meretz.
DHG showing his true colors
He admits he would actually vote for the ENEMIES of Israel!
Anyone who backs up their position by quoting Judith Butler, is worthy of your pity.
DeleteShe is a pretentious intellectual fraud. As are so many of her type.
She is also desperately unpleasant, as are so many of her type.
And recent winner of the award for the most meaningless, obscure, impenetrable, pretentious 'emperor's new clothes' sentence to come out of modern academia.
Harris-Gershon plays at being 'unhappy' because that's his shtick. Deep down, he's ecstatic over these results, because now he's got at least another two years or more to continue whipping up hatred towards Israel to the rapturous applause of frenzied antisemites at that hate site.
Deletek,
Deletepity? Hell no. He deserves wrath and scorn! He knows full well what he is peddling, and I know his motivations (ego and money)
There is real pain tonight in the cult of obsession and among antisemites everywhere.Not the same as among those that actually care about Israel as the land of the Jews.
DeleteSome with wider agendas may even be happy, however, because it's easier for them to demonize Israel and continue deception while Netanyahu is there.
Sorry, I meant pity for his intellectual preferences. Or pseudo- intellectual preferences.
DeleteNot his repellent political views, or his spreading of them.
Please forgive my lack of clarity.
btw re Judith Butler, an example of her worst drivel can be found here:
http://denisdutton.com/bad_writing.htm
"I pity da fool who quotes Judith Butler!"
DeleteI predict at least one uncontrollable fit of laughter to myself, surely sometime on the bus or train today, as I imagine Mr. T addressing this issue...
Laughter is indeed the only reasonable response.
DeleteUnfortunately, this type of stuff is everywhere in academia.
For further interest it's worth checking out the Sokal hoax:
http://hoaxes.org/archive/permalink/the_sokal_hoax
Yes the +972Rag crowd said they would vote for the Arabs and the communists. Big whoop. Although the shared list came in 3rd it's not a reflection of what occurs - they already said they're splitting apart - back to squabbling and boycotting.
ReplyDeleteFWIW, at Legal Insurrection there is speculation that the margin may be wider than anticipated.
ReplyDeleteIt will be interesting to see how Obama responds. We know what many progressives will do, as their extremist comments indicate.
Will add, that when you think about it, Obama helped create this result. He turned the speech into a defining thing, then tried to manipulate the election.
DeleteThe Israeli people seem not as pliable as his followers.
He has the real power, but still must abuse it. Wish more Democrats would be able to see this and the deception of how he obscures reality and then conditions the believers to accept it unquestioned. It does not matter the issue, the method seems the same. He does it better than the Republicans, but so what? In the end it tears things down.
I had hoped he would help make things better, but cannot say that he has done so. He dumps on Bush for creating ISIS, an unintended consequence, and one wonders what his will be.
As for Bush, see this:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/marc-thiessen-george-w-bush-was-right-about-iraq-pullout/2014/09/08/6ddd91b2-374e-11e4-bdfb-de4104544a37_story.html
I'm not too proud or afraid to change my mind about some things, while not on others.
Here is a question:
ReplyDeleteIs Obama in any way responsible for turning Israel into a partisan issue among Americans?
What do you guys think?
YES!
DeleteObama has shown nothing but disrespect and has taken multiple occasions to show this!
Obama has basically said to Bibii, use the servants entrance to enter the white house!
Obama has sent his campaign managers to openly campaign against Bibi/Lukid, and sent TAX MONEY under the V15 to undermine an election too!
Don't think it is a partisan issue among Americans, although there is a vocal group that wants it to be.
DeleteObama did the protocol thing and the next thing you know, Democrats start to boycott and the mass hysteria begins.
The more he piles on by treating Israel as the problem, the more he builds the perception that his intentions is to damage an ally. Most Americans know instinctively that pro-American is pro-Israel.
I head a guy tonight say that Obama still thinks the Palestinian issue will solve things, while others in the region have moved on, knowing Israel not their real enemy and there are bigger fish to fry. Iran has boots on the ground all over. Perhaps the Palestinians really have blown their chance amid the maelstrom on the horizon.
Speaking of which:
DeleteOn Israel’s Channel 2, diplomatic reporter Udi Segal predicted that a Netanyahu-led right-wing government could run into heavy difficulties with the Obama administration. He said the recent appointment by Obama of officials such as new Middle East coordinator Robert Malley, who has often been critical of Israel’s approach to the Palestinian peace process, underlined that possibility. Segal even intimated that the US might seek to impose peace terms on the sides.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/white-house-says-obama-will-work-with-whoever-wins-elections/
Palestine is the Holy Grail. It will be nothing like they imagine, however, and they will never admit they were wrong.
Slate 4 days ago:
Delete"Of course not. Netanyahu is botching the election the same way he botched Israel’s leverage in the Iran deal, its relations with the United States, and everything else. He commandeers the stage, insults his allies, and refuses to shut up. That’s who he is. And that’s who he’ll still be a year or two from now. But he won’t be prime minister of Israel."
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/foreigners/2015/03/benjamin_netanyahu_is_losing_his_reelection_the_israeli_prime_minister_has.html?wpsrc=sh_all_dt_tw_top
Makes ya wonder don't it? Partisan, you betcha.
And my point really, is that American pundits, especially lefty ones, really don't get Israelis or Israel at all down deep. And really, how could they?
ReplyDeleteMeretz leader resigns over poor showing.
ReplyDelete'Overnight' (for those of us in the US), it looks like Likud's expected seats went up to 29 or 30, while Zionist Union dropped to 24.
If it wasn't settled by last night, it sure seems to be now.
Obama goes 0 and 2 with millions of dollars and Livni (again)
ReplyDelete