Well, Bibi is facing a leadership challenge from within Likud from a man named Gideon Sa'ar, who sounds like he should be a good looking commando in Israel Strikes: Will gets his act Together and Finishes the Trilogy.
As Israel hurtles like an out of control freight train toward a third election in a year, The Times of Israel reports on the latest poll:
But everything changes if the embattled Netanyahu, facing corruption charges in three criminal cases, is forced out as Likud leader. In the poll, respondents were asked how they would vote if Netanyahu’s main primary challenger, MK Gideon Sa’ar, was leading Likud instead. The answer bodes poorly for Likud, as votes are reshuffled among right-wing parties, largely to its detriment, while no real difference emerges in the final tally of parliamentary blocs. Thus, Likud falls precipitously to 26 seats. Some of those lost Likud votes, as has happened in the past, go to Shas, which jumps to 10 seats. More go to New Right, which leaps to 9 seats.
So it's Bibi or bust for Likud.
Everything hinges on Avigdor Liberman and Israel Bitenyu. At this point we're inclined to blame that fat, bearded, Russian (Moldovan, actually) bastard for this entire mess.
We see don't think Israel Bitenyu would boot Liberman. That's his party and it represents a million Russian Jews. The membership may be Jewish, but they are still Russian. And those people stick with their people.
As of this moment the Blue and Whites have 33 Knesset seats Likud 31. Neither block has a majority and everyone is waiting to see what Liberman and Israel Bitenyu will do.
This weekend Bibi and Ganz will make their pitch to President Rivlin for having first crack at forming a government. Out hunch is Ganz gets the nod but we don't see how he pulls it off.
Already Israeli media outlets are wondering if the nation will have to hold a third election.
This blog proposes the Knesset pass a bill pitting Bibi vs Ganz to settle this thing once and for all. They did if before, actually, in 2001. That year in a head to head matchup Aerial Sharon annihilated Prime Minister Ehud Barak.
Let's do this, yo.
As we write Israelis are voting.
In the last few days Netanyahu said he will annex the large settlement blocs and proclaimed there will be no Palestinian state.
Rather than making the blocs and Palestine themes to be endlessly discussed and dissected he has used these issues to solidify his base at the very end of the campaign.
Well played, sir. Well played indeed.
The Israeli election is tomorrow.
This guy pretty much agrees with us and has Likud winning 31 seats and the right bloc 66 overall out of 120, which means Netanyahu will be asked to form the next government.
This will also be an interesting opportunity to see if the Stroock Effect, whereby polls underestimate conservatives by a couple of points, still holds.
Gantz and the Blue and Whites (a great party name, btw) may have laid the groundwork for the future, but this time around they didn't convince us.
Someday Israel will have to have it out on these secular v religious issues. Today is not that day. When that day comes, we'd vote Blue and White.*
Besides, another Netanyahu victory will just kill liberals and that will be fun to watch all over again.
*Reminder, we do not have a vote in Israel.
