Another sucker put all of his money in Trump University
Apparently no one can run Israel but Netanyahu..."I alone...."
Looking through the readers comments, I am incredulous that there are respondents who view Israel's position as stronger.
Israel is more isolated, more dependent on the birthrate of ultra-Orthodox sects, more aligned with Trump whose geopolitical skills are unproven at best and woefully inadequate and ill-informed at worst.
9
The power and influence of the ultra-orthodox in Israel has some similarities to the Wahhabi sect in Saudi Arabia in that these minority groups define the state religions of their countries. Judaism in Israel is what the ultra-Orthodox say it is. Reform and Conservative congregations are ignored and marginalized. So too in Saudi Arabia, in which the extremist Wahhabism is Islam in the country. All other forms of Islam are either outlawed or severely marginalized. (Also outlawed and denigrated in Saudi Arabia, of course, are all other religions.)
Hopefully a new Gantz government, if it comes about, will be able curtail the power of this religious minority to the benefit of Judaism and Israel as a whole.
16
A party winning the most seats in Israel is only helpful because it means that the President will most likely ask the head of that party to form the next coalition government. (All governments in Israel are coalitions.) The only path to forming a government is if Gantz's Blue and White party and Netanyahu's Likud party can get together. They only chance of that happening is if Netanyahu resigns or is forced out by his party members. Like Trump, Netanyahu doesn't resign and if he's forced out so that Likud can join with B&W, then the other right wing parties and Likud's own voters will turn on the party. The most likely scenario will be new elections in December, or less likely, charges against Netanyahu will be dropped if he resigns, allowing B&W and Likud to form a coalition.
4
I would like to respond to the overwhelming amount of criticism being leveled against Mr. Netanyahu. For obvious reasons, Israel is not like other sovereign states, and if one spends many years studying the history of the state, one finds the emergence of a very prominent theme: that because of the Holocaust, successive Israel leaders have a unique responsibility to ensure the survival of their state and its people. In many cases, this means taking risks to ensure that Israel’s razor thin geostrategic security edge is preserved. In other cases, this demands that Israel forgo military action at potentially great political cost to whoever happens to be the Prime Minister. There is, additionally, the somewhat problematic issue of reconciling very diverse social, political, and economic interests of Israel’s different religious and ethnic communities.
Israeli politicians are not saints, and politics inside Israel is a very rough and unforgiving contest. Mr. Netanyahu has many flaws, but I would argue that he will be remembered favorably by historians as a Prime Minister who protected and strengthened Israel’s vital interests, and against considerable odds protected its people from devastating conflict in a very unstable region.
7
@David H
The sooner Israel rids itself of the self-serving, corrupt Netanyahu the better Israel and the rest of the world will be. He certainly has done more harm than good to the long standing relationship between the U.S. with his lies and his "my way or the highway" style of governing. Those of us who have been faithful friends of Israel our whole lives have become dissolutioned with Israel as a democratic country under his leadership. Netanyahu is a slightly smarter but no less corrupt leader than the man currently occupying our White House.
22
I hope Netanuahu loses and that Gantz wins. Forming a solely Zionist goverment in occupied Arab territory is non-inclusive, partial and unfair to Israel's Arab residents. It's regressive.
There is nothing intrinsically wrong with Jews or in Arabs. The Koran and the Torah (the New Testament for Christians) are remarkably similar, which is not surprising, given they were both transcribed by Middle-Easterners centuries ago.
If Israel has an inclusive government, inflammatory calls to bomb Iran will cease. Jews have lived side by side with Arabs for a long time. There is no need for sequestration and guarding. It's time to move forward.
Doubtless, Palestine will want their land and fishing rights back back, with reason. Jewish settlers will have to relocate, or buy the land at at least market value. Schools, districts, hospitals must be reintegrated.
If Arabs are willing to work with Jews, there's no more need for Netanyahu's hateful rhetoric. No one likes war.
15
In other words, full speed ahead on the corruption investigation of Netanyahu and his wife. Undoubtedly, his ally in the US will have his day of justice soon as well.
With the demise of Salvini in Italy and the weakening of Johnson in the UK, these rulers have provided few solutions. They display iron fists, conveniently demonize others, consolidate their power and often enrich themselves. They don't govern but rule, and are not part of the solution, but part of the problem.
61
@David K. GREENWALD
Well said.
6
Bye-bye Bibi (we hope).
12
The eventual Democratic candidate for President should take a few hints from Benny Gantz’s strategy, which at this point seems to be succeeding in ousting the Israeli version of Trump. Stay in the center-left lane, talk and make peace with progressives, and at least keep a line of communication open with Never-Trumpers to ensure that mutual self-destruction won’t happen.
14
Hopefully, the election results will help deflate Bibi's megalomania and help Israels recapture some moral standing after it's shameful treatment of the Palestinians.
Hopefully, one day the U.S. will decide to stop letting Israel dictate our foreign policy in the Middle East.
Given the toxic mix of religion and politics promoted by Likud in Israel and by Republicans in the U.S. one can only hope.
13
Forming a coalition in Israel's government is a monumental achievement especially when Netanyahu lost Liberman a former ally who opposes the religious party demands who are part of Netanyahu's coalition. Without the religious party Netanyahu stood no chance of forming a coalition more often forced to cave in to their unreasonable demand to the disadvantage of the secular Israelis who vehemently oppose them along with robbing the Israeli tax payer to subsides young religious guys who much rather study the Torah then work while refusing to serve the army. Hopefully Ganz wins and manages to form a coalition minus the religious party by changing the Israeli's political trajectory.
.
6
Considering that Gantz's basic policy views are virtually indistinguishable from those of Prime Minister Netanyahu, with the notable exception that Gantz is more of a hawk when it comes to dealing with Hamas, how can these reporters call Gantz a "moderate" while consistently calling Netanyahu right and far right? Then again, they call Abbas a "moderate", so it may be that none of these labels has any basis in reality but serve as an expression of the reporter's personal bias.
As to the eventual election outcome, a coalition among the parties headed by Gantz, Netanyahu and Lieberman (a clear majority of about 72 seats under the current count) would push a secular social agenda (which would seemingly please one section of commenters) but might be more hawkish than the current "far right" grouping (which would displease them). The real takeaway, of course, is that in spite of the regional catastrophes that surround it, Israel's democratic institutions remain strong.
3
My hope is that the era of the "Strong Man" rule is ebbing away...
...because we no longer live in a "power" world, we live in a "partnership" world. And Mr. Netanyahu, like Mr. Trump, still believes that manipulation, fear mongering, wielding a big stick, and the power to drop a bomb...are leadership skills.
We must work in partnership with other nations to keep rogue nations like Iran, North Korea, Russia and others from pushing the world over the brink into war and chaos.
We have forgotten that the need to wield power...reveals deep fear. And in the case of these leaders, an unwillingness - perhaps an inability - to work with others, rather than dominate them.
These leaders represent where in our society - in our world- we are devolving, rather than evolving.
It's up to us, like many of the people of Israel, to turn away from these leaders and choose from reason and our humanity...rather than from reaction and fear.
36
Please tell North Korea, Iran, Russia, China, Hamas, the Taliban and Hezbollah that we live in a “partnership” world.
1
@David H
Our actions and the example of our leadership speak loudly. Especially if the people of this nation support a leader who choose to work in partnership...and our Congress follows suit.
We cannot go it alone against these rogue nations...many no longer value life itself. But together with allies and friends - in community - we can better protect ourselves and lead productively in the world.
4
Both of our countries have laws protecting their leaders from prosecution. What kind of democracies are these when leaders are given such immunity? People in these countries are expected to follow the laws and be punished if they don't, yet the leaders, who should set the example, provide examples of corruption when one can get away with it.
5
Netanyahu did worse than anticipated, dashing his hope of forming a narrow coalition with right-wing and ultra-Orthodox parties, that had promised to grant him immunity in return for annexing a large swath of the occupied West Bank.
Now he finds himself a liability to his own party, as his opponents – Benny Gantz and Avigdor Lieberman – seem willing to work with Likud, but without him.
His immediate concern may well be to find a way to protect himself from imminent indictments on corruption and bribery charges. A failure to remain in power might not just be the end of his political career; it could be the end of his freedom.
Let's hope Trump will meet the same fate next year.
12
Really isn't it time for Netanyahu to turn over the office of prime minister to someone else. Including his stints from June 1996 to July 1999 and now March 2009 to the present he has held the office for over 13 years.
Also I see Netanyahu is angling to use the office of prime minister to be immune from prosecution like the free pass his pal Trump has gotten as US president. On that alone no self respecting Israeli citizen should vote for him.
21
According to various polls, Hillary was supposed to win also. I think the results of the Israeli election need to be finalized and the end result known in the formation of a government before the "boos" and "hoorays" can begin.
5
@Mike F.
Hillary DID win. By almost 3,000,000 votes. The polls were pretty much accurate. I do not call what happened anything more a failure of accurate representation in a system that posits itself as a representational republic. As it is, the American Revolution has failed - we are awash with 'Taxation without anything near real representation.'
8
@Amrak
Actually, Hillary did NOT win the popular vote. I invite you to total her votes, and the votes for all other candidates. You will see that the total for all other candidates was more than. the total votes for Hillary.
Netanyahu's wife has already been convicted
He is under indictment for related crimes
As soon as he is not prime minister his case goes forward and he will also be convicted.
He is much like trump in that respect, only with far fewer and less serious crimes.
10
Power and having it must really be something.
Why doesn't Netanyahu simply go find a good job and be happy?
There should be limits on how long any politician can serve. People who hold office too long are more an encumbrance than assets. We see this in our own congress and statehouses. Power corrupts and distracts. It has nothing to do with representing an electorate.
7
The beginning of the end. Netanyahu's defeat gives us hope, that this cycle of right wing victories is stalling. Netanyahu tried every trick of the playbook including the fear of Arab voters. Nothing seems to have worked. Congratulations to the people of Israel for seeing through it.
7
Congratulations to the Israeli people for again showing that, despite its flaws, Israel is a democracy - with 15% of the electorate Arab, gaining seats in the Knesset.
Nevertheless both the Israeli and UK elections demonstrate the flaws of a parliamentary system, thwarting the will of the majority and allowing monitory parties to have too much influence.
No doubt minorities should be protected by law (the constitution, legislation and the courts) but the chief executive or prime minister should be selected by majority vote.
19
@Steven Roth--The American system, presidential rather than parliamentary, is also subject to what Madison called "the tyranny of the minority." Because the Constitution provides that each state shall have two senators regardless of population, approximately 20% of the American population has control of the Senate, leaving 80% underrepresented. And the Electoral College, whose calculus is based upon congressional representation--and Senate misrepresentation--has resulted in the election of two minority presidents this century alone, Bush and Trump. In a parliamentary system, at least, the people do not have to wait until the expiration of a Constitutional term in office to change leadership, unlike the US.
15
@Steven Roth
You wrote that both the Israeli and UK elections demonstrate the flaws of a parliamentary system, thwarting the will of the majority and allowing monitory [sic] parties to have too much influence.
Almost all parliamentary systems have to form coalitions with at least one other party, if not even more, in order to have a 50% governing majority. They have to negotiate with each other, and all parties involved have to give up some of their most extreme policies in order to have a functional government.
The US system with the antiquated Electoral College is the worst, one that made the Republican loser of the popular vote several times president in recent history.
9
@Steven Roth
Actually, it's showing the pros of the parliamentary system. That it's proving to be much easier to disarm and remove these far-right, populist, corrupt, wannabe autocrats. Both Netanyahu and Johnson thought they could just use mandate from the majority vote to strong arm and bully minority parties, and just about everyone and the minorities banded together to push back and are succeeding as opposed to Republican governance where people like Trump, Putin, Erdogan, and Bolsonaro among others largely get away with being corrupt autocrats because its harder to challenge and remove them.
1
The power of organized religion in both Israel and the USA is something everyone should be cognizant of. Evangelicals here and extreme right wing Jews there are shaping policy and threaten pluralistic government.
Trump and Netanyahu, neither of whom are religious, have cynically played the religion card to gain their offices. Once gained, they became proto-dictators. Their religious backers even overlook both men's criminality in order to preserve power.
In any any other time both would be in court defending themselves but today, they simply fish for immunity from prosecution. Times have changed.
Let us hope Netanyahu gets his comeuppance, For OUR sake.
52
The good news is that Palestinian leaders will continue to have an Israeli Prime Minister -- regardless of who he is -- who is available to conduct peace talks with them, if and when Hamas, Hezbollah and Mr. Abbas ever decide to participate in them.
The other good news is that Times editorial writers, opinion columnists and comment writers will continue to have an Israeli Prime Minister -- regardless of who he is -- they can loathe, revile and blame all of the problems of the Middle East on.
11
@A. Stanton
The Hezb-Allah is not party to any Palestinian peace talks. They never were and never will be. They aren't Palestinian. They are Shi'a and exist in Southern Lebanon.
5
@A. Stanton
I see yu problem, A., and its a serious one.
You seem to believe Bibi is a good man, and an honset one. YUou appear to have missed his snide, duplicitous manipulation of the "peae process" to cover for outright theivery.
More than anything, and I see you're from Texas so its understandable, you appear to think that, as Trump is America, Netanyahu is Israel. He would certainly agree.
Because that is patently untrue those of us you label anti-Semite and anti-Zionist would very much welcome a Gantz victory and a new Israeli government, and wish them and the country our very best.
You are correct, though that I, at least, blame Bibi (and his Ultra-conservative religious, so called, henchmen) personally for much of the turmoil engulfing Israel and its neighbors.
2
The Israelis of the 1940s like Ben Gurion and Meir were not the Israelis of Likud and the ultra-orthodox. They were the true Zionists who were creating a homeland for the Jewish people, but not necessarily a "Jewish State". If the Arabs in Israel and the surrounding countries at the time had simply allowed the Kibbutzim and the progressive secular Zionists to achieve their goal peaceably Israel might be a purely secular state where no religion or ethnic group dominated any government and everyone benefited equally from a true democracy. But history was not kind to the foolish choices of the Arabs and their self-serving leaders. And then the religious zealots from the ghettos of eastern Europe poured into the secular state and declared themselves the "Chosen" who should be supported. And the Arabs who were the dominant ethnic group before the Europeans carved up the Mid-East became a minority in their own land. Can any Israeli government ever restore a centuries old friendship between the two dominant ethnic groups of that region whose friendship was destroyed by European governments of the early 20th Century? Can the children of the original Israelis who fought for the country's right to exist continue to allow a group orthodox zealots, who expect the privileges, but not the responsibilities of the country, can they be allowed to influence the future of a country they are not willing to defend with their blood, sweat and tears?
26
@RLW I almost agree except where you blame it all on the "foolish choices of the Arabs". In hindsight yes. They should have agreed to partition. But Israel was imposed on them by the post war Holocaust guilt ridden West. They went to war and lost. Israel took in many immigrants and the religious fundamentalists grew as one vision of Eretz Yisrael took over- after all the land, chasing out, dispossessing stealing the land to the East from the Arabs. After the 1967 War the headiness of this version of Zionism, this vision prevailed along with the help of the U.S. and tone deafness to actual, defect Arab acceptance of Israel in the various peace proposals that fell short of offering justice.
2
It's difficult to know if either actually sees the sun, Trump or Netanyahu, because they are so far up each other's ideologies.
19
Much as I dislike Netanyahu, I hate seeing him compared to Trump. Good or bad, Natanyahu led his country after winning elections on more than one occasion and actually governed. Also, there is no reason to think is a shallow unthinking head of state who only seeks to stroke his own ego. Corruption is another matter.
7
Your message makes no sense!
2
Let them vote again and again until they get it right!
1
It's not a "setback" if we don't get rid of that horrible man.
15
If Netanyahu loses or can't form a government, what will happen to his plan to rename the Golan Heights after Trump?
10
Sending Him my thoughts and prayers.
NOT.
16
Doesn’t need them. He thinks he has connections to the big guy all the way up there.
2
The media consistently shows Blue and White, the rival of Netanyahu, as having broad coalition support that puts it slightly ahead of Likud and the right coalition.
Some things to take into account.
The right coalition includes theocratic Jewish parties that, although they make up 10% of the population, insist that everyone including atheists and secularists ( the majority) follow their religious rules.
The left coalition includes the Joint List. This is a group of Arab dominated parties many of whom are virulently anti-Zionist and against Israel. No non-Arab party has ever entered into a coalition with them to date since this would mean political suicide.
As mentioned, Liberman holds the cards to make it happen. He has no use for the religious parties and is a secular nationalist.
He is calling for a coalition of the Zionist parties on both sides.
It will take a while before this is all sorted out.
However, Netanyahu lost his bet that he would clearly win and continue on on his own terms.
It's a new world in Israel today.
9
Hope Benny Gantz and co. can form a coalition govt. Otherwise, this spells disaster for Israel and its citizens in more ways than one.
Given Netanyahu’s penchant for claiming ‘victimhood’ and ‘media bias’ for any defeats, losses or indictments (analogous to the 45th’s behavior), this political saga is bound to be more sizzling than a Stephen King thriller, replete with premonitory implications for the upcoming 2020 election, here at home.
Take note, America or be relegated to the powerless, insignificant ‘democracies of the third world’.
11
The direct-election system is not for everyone, but it is clear that the parliamentary system no longer works for Israel. Israel needs to take steps to move to a US-style two-party system, or at least a hybrid. Otherwise, it will be in perpetual campaign mode, which—ironically—will weaken Israeli democracy and raise the specter of dictatorship.
2
I don’t know Netyenahu personally, but then again hardly anybody knows these public figures personally. But from what I’ve seen of the way he does things, he seems like an individual who works in bad faith.
I see it from his actions during the Obama administration. The way he behaved towards a president who supported his country in good faith and worked to stop the Iranian nuclear program or at least limit it.
To undermine Obama and politicize support for Israel so openly and brazenly, to get oneself involved in the elections and politics of the US and the historic divisions here, and to do it with the utmost glee and arrogance, it really seems quite astonishing.
And of course the corruption allegations. This is a really troubling figure that Israelis probably need to come to terms with.
24
@Freak
Just a few years ago in 2015, then-President Barack Obama threw everything he had into an effort to defeat Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s party in Israel’s most recent election. He became only the latest of our Democratic US presidents to do so.
First, Obama — according to The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg, a close watcher of the Obama team’s Mideast work — tried to “force a rupture in the governing coalition that will make it necessary for Netanyahu to take into his government [Tzipi] Livni’s centrist Kadima Party.”
When that didn’t work, the president went all in. A bipartisan report from the Senate, issued in July 2016, found that taxpayer dollars were involved. The Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations concluded that $350,000 had gone to a group called OneVoice. It obeyed the rules of the grant, intended to support peace.
Once the grant ended, though, the infrastructure and resources “created, in part, from US grant funds” were, said the Senate, used “to support a political campaign to defeat the incumbent Israeli government.”
That campaign was known as “V15,” as in Victory 2015. Its aim seems to have been to elect as prime minister anyone other than Netanyahu. It looked like that was in the bag, too.
https://nypost.com/2018/05/23/the-hypocrisy-of-american-election-investigations-into-israel/
I hope that the trend will continue and that Gantz will defeat Netanyahu. He should be defeated for many reasons and then face the criminal charges against him.
But I want to make a philosophical point about how best to deal with right wing (or left-wing) demagogues. Above all we have to sober-minded and clear-eyed adults.
I am reminded of an iconic photograph of Einstein that is seared in my memory. Many will know it. Einstein was discussing various topics with the photographer and the photographer asked him about the prospects for mankind. Einstein became quite sober and said, "So long as there are men, there will be wars." The photo was taken at that precise moment of gravitas and truth.
We can hope for change, world peace and harmony but as long as we remain ignorant of all aspects of human potential (including our own) these sentiments are doomed to failure. I would say they are doomed to failure precisely for that reason.
The fight for justice and equality is a daily struggle and always will be. The opposition isn't suddenly going to give in. Human beings are often motivated to accomplish incredible feats of creativity and love, but they can also can be motivated by the darkest impulses of greed, dishonesty and a lust for violence. This will not change.
To my mind, the last American leaders who exhibited that critical understanding were FDR and Kennedy. FDR above all. We need a leader like that today and I hope they are on the visible horizon.
16
Well #45's bud Netanyahu's re-election isn't a slam dunk considering he has shown his support for him. I guess the good citizens of Israel are smarter than the 35-40% of Americans who support #45 here. Of course if the other candidate does win, #45 will find a way to say to put a positive spin on it even if he doesn't mean it.
42
Netanyahu has already survived one election that was a vote of no confidence. He will claim that any election in which the Israeli Arabs vote him out is illegal and that God is on his side. He already claims to be a victim of media bias. Couple all this with his pending indictment and we got a precursor of our 2020 election. A war with Iran would keep both Trump and Netanyahu in office.
27
I don't see an overt war taking place following reasons: Putin is Trump's friend and Russia is Iran's ally. Aside from Israel and Saudi Arabia, what other allies would join that effort especially, after Trump singlehandedly, destroyed a peace agreement that Obama, European nations and, I think, Russia painstakingly put together. So, besides the aforementioned,
who would be willing to troops? To please his base, Trump claims to be desecalating American troops in Afghanistan and Syria. What's he going to do reassign them to Iran to carry out another version of "shock and awe?" The Evangelicals and the Heredi will cheer on such a war but, I don't see them wanting to enlist, to go fight it.
What I do see; however, is increased bombing, on perceived installations, that will kill a lot of innocent people and harden Iran against any form of reproachment until Trump is gone and Netanyahu ousted.
Perhaps all those Trump Netanyahu posters and billboards were too much for the average Israeli. Trump backed Boris (not Yeltsin) and Brexit then Johnson lost his party members. There is still hope for Middle Earth and Mother Earth.
40
Israeli election has been pretty much decided that Netanyahu will win again. No sitting president in a developed country will lose his/her election unless something bad has been happened. And so far none has been significant to hurt his chance at all. Besides he has done a great thing to convince Trump moving US embassy to Jerusalem. What a great accomplishment.
@Usok
Oh Lordy, first of all, Bibi Nuttingyahoo - as he is often referred to in his own country - is prime minister and not president. Second, in parliamentary democracies the leader of the party that receives the most vote in an election usually has to form a coalition government with another party in order to be able to govern with a majority.
In case you read this op-Ed, Bibi is behind, and it will take a while until other parties agree on forming a government with Blue-and-White and other non-Orthodox and center left parties.
As to moving the US embassy to Jerusalem, that was a typical Trump TV un-reality show and didn't change the status quo of Jerusalem of eventually becoming the capital of both Israel and a Palestine.
11
Israel, the United Kingdom and the United States of America all deserve better leadership than unscrupulous Populist demagogues. It is a truly hopeful sign that Netanyahu is diminished in power and soon will face corruption charges with no political cover. Let's hope Donald Trump joins him in prison someday.
72
I hope for Israel's sake that they consign Netanyahu to the dustbin of history beginning with a long prison term for corruption and fraud. Wish he could be sent to stand trial at the Hague for crimes against humanity.
48
Those are very powerful words from someone who obviously has not one iota of understanding of how Israel functions. In contrast to your prognostications, I predict that Mr. Netanyahu will go down in history as the Prime Minister who moved Israel through 2 and 1/2 decades of internal conflict and a razor thin security situation, all the while preserving Israel’s vital interests.
2
Maybe the rise of Dictators will heave a short story this time. It would be JUSTICE TO SEE BOTH Netanyahu and Trump thrown out of office and go right to jail.
Hopefully Trump gets LIFE IN PRISON and the rest of the criminals around him suffer harsh sentences.
52
If this election brings peace between never ending Palestine and Israel conflict, I wholeheartedly welcome it.
14
The idea of democracy is in crisis. Or, perhaps, it’s always been overblown. Individuals like Trump and Netanyahu and others show the ugly underbelly of “democracy.” Democracy at least as practiced in some places is probably overrated. It’s not just a matter of parties and “elections!” If anybody thinks just “voting” is democracy by now there’re probably many bridges on sale for them!!!
12
Nowadays any election process seems spoiled by fake results and with one goal in mind that is to shield the winner from prosecution.
9
If Netanyahu loses, there will be less pressure for a US invasion of Iran.
23
A simplistic notion, and one that is completely erroneous. No Israeli leader wants a US invasion of Iran. Such a conflict would spread to the territories of US allies, including Israel. That is the absolute last thing that Israel wants or needs. He is really main stream, including the current leader ship, prefers a campaign of sustained economic sanctions and international political pressure.
8
@David H
Maybe, but people similar to trump when backed into a corner will do anything to protect their own self interests.
15
I suppose it's natural that Americans compare Netanyahu to Trump,but you all shouldn't get carried away with this idea. There are similarities but also quite a few differences and the American and Israeli situations and political systems are quite different.
3
“Parties that glorify and praise bloodthirsty terrorists who murder our soldiers, our citizens and our children. That simply cannot be.”
Who does this remind you of? Stoking fear to get votes is a cheap campaign strategy.
38
I earnestly pray that Netanyahu does not win. Israel cannot thrive upon the suffering of others, suffering that his policies inflict. Same with Trump.
48
I think you will be unpleasantly surprised when you see that Israel’s military occupation of the West Bank continues for many years to come, no matter who the Prime Minister is.
The burden is now squarely on the Palestinians to demonstrate that they want an accommodation with Israel. Israel has made several offers to the Palestinians, all of which have been rejected. Personally, I do not believe for a minute that the Palestinians even care about their own state. If they did, they would have sought its creation through negotiations decades ago.
9
@David H " Personally, I do not believe for a minute that the Palestinians even care about their own state. If they did, they would have sought its creation through negotiations decades ago." - in response to that, I would say that many if not most Palestinians do care about their own state and would negotiate, but they have consistently used by their leaders, and by neighboring nations with their own agendas (which do not involve actually helping the Palestinians).
9
I do not disagree with your analysis.
2
There seems to be a lot of excitement in the comments today about the potential passing of the Netanyahu era, and the ascension of Benny Gantz to the premiership. I would caution readers about a couple of things:
1. A narrow parliamentary majority comprised solely of Zionist (Jewish Israeli) parties historically has proven to be insufficient to introduce rapid / dramatic changes in a finely balanced and very delicate security and internal political situation. This is especially the case when the parliamentary majority depends upon the support of the Israeli Arab parties. One need only recall the assassination of Yitzhaq Rabin following the Knesset vote on the Oslo accords — a vote which resulted in a tie and thus passed, for the simple reason that Rabin had bribed a one-man parliamentary faction the night before.
2. Regarding the disposition of the disputed territories on the West Bank: no matter the outcome of this election, I do not believe there will be any fundamental change to the status quo for many years to come. As the former head of the Israeli army, Mr. Gantz knows better than anyone that there is no electronic or satellite replacement for Israeli boots on the ground in an area that most Israel is regard as a vital strategic asset. The collapse of Syria, the growing power of Iran, and continued instability in Iraq Merely will reinforce public perceptions of a menace to the east. Palestinians must convince Israelis that they are serious negotiating partners.
6
I don’t think anyone is expecting rapid change to the political system or that a peace deal or resolution of any kind regarding the occupied territories will occur.
A lot of people are simply excited about a possible return to the status quo and that is a victory when compared to the path Netanyahu and the religious right had Israel on (which was killing any chance at a future peace deal and inevitably will lead to prolonged violence).
3
A return to the status quo of what? Are you referring to the Israel of the 1970s, when there was a so-called “peace camp” that supported Palestinian political aspirations? That, my friend, is long gone and will never return. The Israel that we see today will continue as currently constituted for the forseeable future, no matter who is Prime Minister.
Bibi is apparently through. With 91% of the votes counted, Likud has 31 seats compared to the 35 they received just a few months ago. But the 31 also includes 3 seats from the Kulanu party which was merged back into Likud after separating a few years ago. So practically, Likud lost 7 seats in these elections. This is huge, and speaks volumes to Bibi's greed and hubris in assuming he will gain votes in this election. Bibi brought this disaster upon himself, and will now pay the political price. And following this a corruption trial, or several. Soon to be the second ex-PM to serve jail time.
35
@Joe Landis
I would like to believe all Israelis feel the same way you do, Mr. Landis - which unfortunately is not the case.
But even if just a small majority does, it's a step in the right direction. Would that our voters here will be of the same mind when our own elections take place.
5
You and I both know that these so-called corruption charges have followed Mr. Netanyahu for the last 24 years. None of them have amounted to anything. My personal analysis is that they are the figment of the imagination of Mr. Netanyahu’s many opponents, and nothing more.
1
It seems to boil down to a war between the secular and the religious much like in 21st century America. Let's hope the secular wins.
29
@Stephen Kurtz Possibly it could happen in the U.S., but Israel is structurally set up so that it is unlikely to happen there. I am American and Jewish, and think there are many problems with the way Israel has structured its government and society.
2
With an assist from American conservatives, Netanyahu made his own country a partisan issue in the US, Israel's protector and largest benefactor. Any Israeli who fails to see the danger in that is deluding herself.
26
Time for this autocratic leader to go. Perhaps he will be tried for corruption and found guilty. At the moment Netanyahu's presence is destabilising in the Middle East. Let us pray for peace.
30
@insomnia data Prayer will not bring peace either in Israel or in the United States. It is time to bring intelligent governance to both Israel and America. Kick out the demagogues like the childish Trump and arrogant Netanyahu and their supporters and elect those who are truly willing to do what is necessary to bring peace.
3
Is it October when the indictments will be handed down against Netanyahu? In a democracy, no politician should be able to commit crimes and then remain in power by negating the rule law. Netanyahu is very likely guilty of graft and corruption from what I have read. This explains his desperate pronouncements, flouting of Israeli election law and promises to annex the west bank if reelected.
In the US we have to wait a bit longer for Trump to face the full weight of the law and judgement for a lifetime of high crimes and misdemeanors.
Perhaps, Bibi and Donald can occupy adjacent jail cells? That would be most fitting.
24
May the Israeli election be a harbinger of the U.S. election with new leadership ready to usher in an era of inclusion, prosperity and justice for all.
340
A lovely sentiment, but there is absolutely no basis on which to compare the voting populations of the United States and that of the state of Israel.
For starters, the United States is surrounded by vast oceans and friendly neighbors. For Israel, the complete opposite is the case.
7
And yet both Netanyahu and trump rally their base on the idea of hate and bigotry. The 2018 midterm election showed that this country is tired of hearing his rantings and getting nothing done. And like Israel we don't want to be lead by a person capable of corruption on the scale that these two "leaders" have exhibited.
7
Too early to say that. Until I hear that Netanyahu is officially no longer the Prime Minister, I will fear the worst.
6
"Mr. Netanyahu campaigned frenetically right up until the polls closed Tuesday night, warning right-wing Jewish voters that Arabs were turning out in large numbers and flouting Election Day bans on campaign propaganda to spur his supporters into action."
In other words, Netanyahu did anything he could to in order to stay in power, desperately clawing for it, using bigoted fearmongering and breaking campaign laws to do it.
I sure hope he loses. And not for nothing, this is exactly the kind of bigoted, fearmongering, illegal behavior we can expect from Trump next year.
715
He will try to negotiate getting pardoned for his past misdeeds before giving up power. Trump will do the same when he loses.
16
@Ralph Petrillo Until there is a government he cannot. And if he is not PM, he has no leverage.
2
@Ralph Petrillo I fully expect Trump will pardon himself (questionable legality there, but that wouldn't stop him) and all members of his family from all federal crimes before he leaves office. His power though cannot extend to state courts.
I have never been a fan of the power of the presidential pardon, and even less so with the current occupant.
4
@Joshua Schwartz
Sometimes the leverage will be tied to what he could reveal from his past about what people do not want really want to hear. Remember my pardon prediction.
1
israel, the palestinians, and the world deserve a better israel without netanyahu.
26
This election ensures more apartheid that the US taxpayer has to pay for.
7
@Happy Selznick
Apartheid in Israel???
Where are the separate bath rooms & water fountains?
Why are there Arabs in the Israeli Parliament & on the Israeli Supreme Court?
This is great news for Israel and it should put the fear of God into our own corrupt head of state.
22
One more 50-50 election. A positive sign of election rigging. No chaotic system like elections can exactly mimic the toss of dice. Only artificially manipulated. "Win" with just enough to maintain credibility and no more. Ask any statistician, they will answer the same.
2
@Dave
You seem to think Israel has a two-party system. It doesn't. Two parties happened to have almost the same votes, but that doesn't mean each had roughly 50% of the vote. Avigdor Liberman has his own party, there were several Arab Israeli parties, etc., and each got a certain percentage of the vote; in fact, the Arab israeli parties had historically high totals.
5
All my reading still leads me to believe a two state solution is viable and desirable but I can understand the fear that some Israeli's have that if they give up an inch, their enemies will take a yard. I also believe that it's fear that helps put people like Trump and Bibi in office and keep them there until the majority finally realizes the consequences of being ruled by authoritarians and votes them out.
14
I strongly suggest that in order to have a better understanding of the Israeli mindset, you read about the suicide bombings that took place in the 1990s in Jerusalem and in Tel Aviv, using commuter buses.
I remember when Palestinians from the West Bank would drive to the beaches of Tel Aviv. Palestinian suicide bombings completely up-ended Israeli perceptions, and as a result of Palestinian actions, the sizable Israeli voting bloc that once supported their political aspirations has long since evaporated.
5
According to the polls in Israel, if the people could vote who they wanted to be PM, instead of voting for a party, they would pick Netanyahu by a wide margin. So the idea that people want him out isn't true. They might not agree with the parties politics but they trust Bibi is the big chair.
4
The 63% refers to the percentage of votes counted out of the total number of eligible voters, not out of the actual votes. Therefore about 91% of the ballots have been counted.
8
Finally, one of the autocratic leaders of Democratic countries has been quashed. As a Reform Jew, I agree with the Blue and White party. Israel was started as a haven for all Jews, not just the Orthodox ones.
Netanyahu has over stayed his time. He is irrelevant to Israel and his party now. Hopefully the same will happen here in the US and in England. Democracy is too important to ignore and even ours is fraying under Trump.
116
I don’t think history will look kindly on Netanyahu, Johnson and Trump.
126
It looks like N's aggressiveness in words and actions is finally wearing thin. Israel will survive.
37
If the US was conviscating land in Mexico, allowing real estate development and making it really difficult for all Hispanics to live in this country, how many Americans would be "fine" with it? I fear there would be a significant number. History notwithstanding, tribalism is too strong among way too many people.
Get your religion out of politics, Bibi needs to be in jail.
90
@Mary Never thought of the Palestinian problem like this. It has certainly made me think and I thank you for that.
Israel is unique in that there are numerous parties / coalitions and not a two party system like the US. The monetary support given to them by the US is staggering. It is not a self sustaining country. They would wither without our support and would be forced into being less belligerent.
The whole world is moving into darker ages. Israel was just ahead of this movement by an few years with Bibi.
25
Actually it is the United States that is unique. Virtually all other countries have a parliamentary system with multiple parties. There are pros and cons to each but strange that you would say Israel was unique in this manner.
7
Israel's GDP is $390.656 billion. US foreign aid to Israel is $3.2 billion. US foreign aid to Iraq is $3.7 billion. US foreign aid to Afghanistan is $5.7 billion.
6
It’s not unique, it is a parliamentary system like Britain, Italy, Germany and other European countries. Let’s all dig into our opinions with no facts or knowledge of history, scary.
3
I think the real problem is that the Jewish State wasn't meant to be a real country. The Jewish State was supposed to be a temporary refuge for Jews fleeing anti-Semitic persecution in Europe. Once it served its purpose the Jewish State would disappear and be absorbed by the neighboring Arab countries.
4
@sharon5101 Your assertion would come as a shock to Lord Arthur Balfour who in 1917 publicly proclaimed the willingness of the UK government to create a homeland for the Jewish people with no time limit and to the UN which in 1947 adopted a resolution calling for partition of Palestine to create Israel as a Jewish state with no time limit.
34
@BusterBronx Well said.
3
@Sharon1501, That doesn't sound like any history I have read regarding Israel
5
"“Netanyahu discovered that incitement has a heavy price,” said Ayman Odeh, chairman of the Joint List of predominantly Arab parties."
The parallels between Israeli politics and ours have a familiar ring. Far more suave and educated than our president, Netanyahu nonetheless uses the tired old tools of demagoguery and fear to push the idea that he's the only one who can "save" Israel.
Gantz spoke best when he promised unity and healing for a society wounded by the seemingly never-ending fights over the direction of the country.
I hope Gantz gets his chance. The Trump-Netanyahu alliance is ugly because of how it's conducted, with the two men feeding off their respective egos and riding nasty resentments within their respective bases.
79
I suggest that you read a history of Israeli politics and you will see that every Prime Minister since David Ben-Gurion has promised unity. Should we assume the premiership, Benny Gantz will immediately discover that campaign slogans are extremely difficult to fulfill.
1
Too late. Damage already done. The extremists being finally being cut off from American cash looms. Get ready for it. It is coming on now. You can’t stop it.
11
@Joe B. You mean because Ocasio-Cortez says so? That Biden will do it? Not a chance. Warren, who sounds hard left today but six years ago said that Israel’s attacks on schools where Hamas hid explosives werejustified? Not a chance. Bernie, maybe. But he has as much chance of winning as I have of being crowned King of Denmark. Not to mention that the Senate is still controlled by the Republicans. It’s not going to happen.
11
Why are you saying "Too close to call"? Netanyahu is not able to form a government. Gantz won. The only way Netanyahu can be PM now, is if one of the parties that promised to not support him, changes their mind now and supports him, and that is very unlikely to happen.
38
“Israeli society is strong,” he added, “but it is wounded, and the time has come to heal it.”
That is Ganz, and it sure sounds right.
Indeed, there's a lot of that going around. We too, here in America, are strong but wounded, and we certainly need healing.
Trump is the last person on earth to bring the needed salve, having personally inflicted so many of the wounds.
It is firmly to be hoped that among the Democrats one will understand the need to bind up the wounds of our nation.
42
I hold by breath with a hope that the universe will smile upon All Peoples and Netanyahu will be soundly defeated. In 2020 Trump will follow meeting his demise.
When the role of leader ends for both of these Oligarchist, they will face the Scales of Justice as private citizens and the reality of facing jail time. From palace to a 68 square foot jail cell.
57
Most Americans were embarrassed by Donald Trump’s weighing in on behalf of Benjamin Netanyahu and trying to sway an Israeli election, just as we are opposed to Netanyahu’s periodic efforts to influence American elections.
That being said, a good case can be made that all Americans who are not Hasidic Jews or Islamic extremists or American white supremacists have a vested interest in the defeat of Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel’s election and in the triumph of Benny Gantz.
Netanyahu pushes the world closer to an unnecessary war in the Middle East. Gantz, ironically a retired general, pushes Israel and the world closer to peace.
95
@sdw
I'm no Bib fan, at all. But giving credit where it's due, he's a war hero, too, a veteran of an elite commando unit, whose brother died in combat.
8
@sdw
There is nothing ironic about it. People who have actually fought in wars, especially those who have had to order others to their deaths, usually tend to see war as something best avoided. How many wars did John Bolton, Dick Cheney or George W. Bush fight in?
41
@brooklyn
commando units do not fight in wars.
They are terrorists and freedom fighters - depending where you stand
10
Boris Johnson and Benjamin Netanyahu: these two Trump-like vulgar and dishonorable bullies have been thwarted by voters. Let us hope Trump's days are also numbered.
124
How many times will people purposely vote for corruption and tyranny?
We are about to find out in November 2020.
67
I hope he will take some time off and get a little rest, before beginning to plot his comeback.
4
According to Americans:
When it comes to international law, China and Russia are violating it by their territorial claims.
When it comes to Israel, international law is irrelevant and in fact anti-semetic when it comes to the West Bank, Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights.
And I wondered what could motivate people to fly airplanes into buildings with themselves on board.
18
@Auxley
Did you really just say that a government occupying land, that was won in a war, is a justification for flying airplanes into buildings?
Did you really just say that?
18
Will Bibi end his career in prison? And if he does, will that be the catalyst to making Israel a true modern democracy?
30
@BigTony we already had a prime minister and a president that went to prison. just saying.
7
It maybe the Israeli Arabs that helps Israelis save themselves from themselves and move to modernity! How Ironic. Israeli leaders sooner or later will realize that the only solution to this conflict is a one state solution. Meanwhile, the Islamic world can either learn from an inclusive, thriving Israeli democracy or perish.
14
Unfortunately the ultra conservative religious sects on both sides will never allow this to happen. It’s the majority caught in the middle of these zealots that pay the price.
17
If Bibi loses, will he no longer be above the law and be able to be indicted for his corruption?
You know, like Trump next year, when we vote to Make Donald Indictable Again.
60
Facing three corruption charges, Netanyahu is not going to leave quietly.
28
A tiny thread of hope springs from the idea that Netanyahu will be ousted before he sets Israel back any further.
Throughout my lifetime, a healthy contingent of Israelis, both Jewish and Arab, have wished for peace, worked for peace, and been prepared to sacrifice for peace only to have it sabotaged by leaders whose motives I question. It seems that fewer and fewer people these days remember the long history of Jerusalem, where Jewish and Arab Yerushalmi lived side by side for generations.
Every time we get close, somebody wrecks it - either Arafat’s self-dealing and walking away from unquestionably good and painstakingly crafted accords, or the disgraceful settlement-building by Netanyahu and so many right-wingers. The spineless and self-serving caving of PM’s to the Haredim as if legions of reasonable, educated secular Israelis of all backgrounds didn’t matter. Don’t get me started...
Abba Eban may have been right about Palestinians never missing an opportunity to miss an opportunity— but, sadly, it applies to the Israeli Jews, as well. And to Israel’s neighbors, save Egypt.
Maybe this time, with a centrist coalition, we will turn again towards peace.
49
Israeli coalition politics boggles the mind, though it seems clear that Bibi’s willingness to increasingly placate the ultra-orthodox to the tune of outright annexation of most of the West Bank alarmed enough voters to turn out to oppose him. I hope this spells the end of his career.
29
what Netanyahu's government strives for is a extremist zionist state,which will and have gotten in the way of many arab parties to be heard, negating the whole Democratic state thing he keeps talking about.
However, Voting percentage in arab communities have risen since the last failed electionsmand netanyahu can't really do anything about it.
11
The only person I'd like more to fail than Netanyahu is Trump. Peace is not achievable with either.
39
Now I understand how Israeli elections work, but there are many tells in the history and facts reported that lead me to believe the election there was rigged just as the 2016 election here was. It began when, as you wrote; in 1996 everyone went to bed thinking Shimon Peres won only to find that next morning, Netanyahu won the vote reporting. I believe polling is far more accurate because those who conduct them are truly unbiased but the competing parties are ruthlessly trying to win and have an incentive to cheat. Netanyahu adopted the Trump fear mongering of Hispanic voters when he barked about Arab citizens voting there. Trump has been pandering to Israeli's with an obvious agenda that surfaced today. Four former Republican federal prosecutors helped install Trump and Trump in turn helped Netanyahu. Netanyahu parroted Trump's electioneering fear mongering. I still suspect election rigging here in the vote reporting process that was contrary to prior exit polling in our own election by a wide margin and Netanyahu's demeanor is somehow confident in the later voting reporting as he will not yet accept the mostly honest exit polling, as if he was confident in a win. It's a red flag. It also seems eerie that after all the citizen's have voted, that the final choice of who is appointed Prime Minister is President Rivlin's decision. The most obvious observation here was that so many elections are close which has the effect to calming the population into accepting the results.
11
Israel must be applauded as the only democracy in the Middle East, if only their neighbors could be so institionalized and blessed and the USA too, Israel inherited the best of British democratic institutions like Canada, as both Israel and Canada rejected the anti democratic USA model.
9
@Craig,
Unfortunately, Canada is very conservative in having a chamber, the Senate, not elected, blunting the people’s will. Conceptually the same mistrust of electorate as the Electoral system in the U.S. these should change.
What Canada and Israel are sharing is being countries with relatively small populations, considering the size of Canada’s land. Both countries with successfully integrating immigrants, even if at times it was painful.
1
apartheid is a bad policy and it is unsustainable
19
If Iran did it. The current administrations policies are to blame.
4
Even this article admits that the exit pols are unreliable. Let's wait and see what happens and what does not.
3
The longer you stay in power the more corrupt you'll become, Israel should limit the PM seat to 2 terms. Netanyahu could have ended his political career on good terms, instead he'll be remembered as the most corrupt Prime Minister in its history. And no, Netanyahu is NOT responsible for "Israel's remarkable growth and tech sector innovation," the great minds of that sector deserve the credit for that one, it would have happened regardless.
I hope Gantz will get to forge a broad, secular government, a government that does not lean on extremists from the right, or from the left.
25
Can anyone name one “extremist” party on the left in Israel? Probably not, and that is the point. Israeli politics have shifted so far to the right, that center left parties seem extreme.
13
@NW Exactly, and much the same can be said for the U.S.
1
The real question is whether Avigdor Lieberman will succumb to the carrots and sticks that Netanyahu will shamelessly try to employ. Netanyahu has more political lives than a Black Cat. It would be a very salubrious develoment if Gantz is able to form a governing coalition, but merely denying Netanyahu the ability to plod on as Prime Minister would be a huge win in itself.
18
Perhaps the most important outcome of these elections is the high proportion of Israeli Palestinian Arabs who voted making the United Arab Party the third largest party in the Parliament. The implications of this are tremendous but for starters larger budgets and greater attentions to their needs in local security, education, local development, etc. Also, placing Palestinian Arabs in positions of political influence. After years of racist rhetoric, the latter won't be easy, but certainly Arab Palestinian politicians are prime candidates for numerous domestic positions in government: Minister of Health, Welfare, Education, Justice, etc. It will be more difficult to repeal numerous racist laws, but this can also be done step by step.
20
Thanks for showing a great example of the healing power of democracy.
7
Will be great to see the time return when all people, including self-appointed "princes," are held accountable for their actions and are not "protected" or given immunities from the laws that the rest of us must abide by. No one should be above the law...especially elected officials that are supposed to be "servants of the people."
16
Given the entrenched power position of the politico-military elite in the state structure of Israel not much change is likely to occur in Israeli politics after the election results are announced. Yet, the defeat of the ultra nationalist Netanyahu migerald a new era of normal politics based on democratic consensus. Such centrist dispensation might pursue a pragmatic policy course as against the current dispensation that with its aggressive confrontational policy course has virtually militarised the Israeli society and isolated Israel from the international mainstream.
5
Is it too much to hope that a defeat of Netanayhu signals the beginning of the end for Trumpian autocrats? Netanyahu should be in jail and, hopefully, before too long Trump will move from the White House to the Big House.
918
@Avatar: your words to God's ears...!
55
@Avatar No, it is not to much to hope. Hope is what keeps us alive!
36
@Avatar
I was wondering the same. Is this a harbinger. Although let's hope that it is so close a call here, in 2020,, that Trump can question one vote.
12
In deference to all the decent people living in Israel, the decision to creat a religious and ethnic state in 1948 was a very serious mistake.
The result was many years of abuse to the Palestinian community and the tinder box political instability of the Middle East with Israel becoming another unwelcome nuclear state.
Instead countries like my native America could have extended immediate invitations to all Jewish survivors of WW II.
We Americans had plenty of room to accommodate Jewish immigrants at that time and today’s unending tension from the Middle East would have been greatly diminished.
76
@Michael Kittle
I couldn't agree more! I don't see much possibility for anything other than an armed truce, at best, between Israel and Palestinian arabs, unless both groups are willing to entertain fundamental compromises in their respective identities, goals and hypertrophied senses of entitlement. Now we have several generations of Jewish Israelis born after the founding of a Jewish state and at least as many generations of Palestinians whose experiences at the hands of the Israeli government only reinforces their sense of being victims of oppression, occupation and hopelessness. Moving past Netanyahu may be an important first step.
19
Michael
I could not agree with you more on this issue. Jews fleeing the horrific conditions in Europe could indeed have come to America and been assimilated as have so many others of different faiths and nationalities. Thanks for your very direct and insightful comment.
14
@Michael Kittle
Israel was not created as a religious ethnic state. It was created as a homeland for the Jewish people, after two millennia in the diaspora, culminating with the Holocaust in which a third of my people were murdered. Thank you, but no thank you, your native America made sure Jews were not welcome on the eve of WWII, when so many could have been saved, so spare me the welcoming gesture, which was not there in our greatest hour of need.
33
There has NEVER been an Israeli prime minister that's been worse for Israel than Netanyahu. NEVER. May he go down in flames. Wishing much success to Benny Gantz if he should be fortunate enough to win. Netanyahu is an incredibly treacherous politician, so it wouldn't surprise me if he still "manages" to win this one.
116
People who think removing Bibi (who is responsible for Israel's remarkable growth and tech sector innovation) will change anything on the ground are delusional. Iran, Hizbollah, HAMAS are still existential threats - there is no road back for the left and the 2 state solution is dead and has been for decades. The Palestinians will not benefit from change so long as Iran continues to threaten the Sunni Gulf States. Egypt, Jordan and the Palestinians lose more influence every time Iran rattles the region. Their time has come and gone - the dynamic in the region has changed radically from 20 years ago.
15
@American Akita Team Finally, a comment by someone who has a clue about Israeli politics, the situation on the ground in the territories and the region, and the role Iran plays in the Middle East (Russia too). The ignorance evident evidence in most of these comments is astounding. Growing up, I thought “smart” people read the Times. I suspect that Trump and GW Bush has created a generation of Democrats who are just as clueless as many of the Republicans they mock.
2
I like to consider myself relatively intelligent and interested in world affairs. Yet I’m totally baffled by the political complexities and seemingly petty squads of important international powers. But now that I think of it I’m baffled by the political complexities and seemingly petty squabbles of my own nation.
I am, however, increasingly confident that humans are fundamentally over-achieving apes.
42
The response of Netanyahu to his possible loss is to threaten to ignore the results.
This is a perfectly expected result from a person doing everything to avoid the criminal charges facing him.
It is the model Trump has created and is being used in other democracies to upend the rule of law.
We, and others who cherish our freedoms, need to forcefully oppose this gross grab for power. Fear that "things might not go well" is the road to authoritarianism.
97
Right you are! We have Trump, Boris Johnson and now the corrupt Netanyahu threatening to ignore the ballot box and the rule of law. Shocking and disgraceful. Can’t we go back to exporting democracy?
9
Liberman's decision not to join a coalition relying on ultra-Orthodox support is brave indeed, great relief that gives reason to hope for peace.
86
Let's hope this is the start of a swing back to normalcy, decency and fair politics.
197
Lord please help Israeli voters see the light and walk away from venal greed, corruption and apartheid. Netanyahu is way past his use by date. Time for him to go - to prison for corruption along with his wife and his bribe taking scion.
217
Netanyahu, Orban, Putin, Erdogan, Madurro, Duturte, Trump - all time for them to go.
527
@Nick Kalogeresis
I wholeheartedly agree and put Bolsonaro on your list, too.
42
In this context we shouldn't overlook or underestimate Narendra Modi, the Indian Prime Minister. He seems to have the makings of a dictator who could easily spark very serious conflicts in a region already rife with discord.
34
@Nick Kalogeresis
All the others yes. Not Trump. We still need him.
1
The Arab turnout was 60%. If as Netanyahu promised to annex the entire West Bank, it's just a matter of time when Israel becomes a State with Arabic majority. What then? Apartheid?
50
@NNI this is why a two state solution isn’t the only solution.
Netanyahu did not promise to annex the entire West Bank, just a part of the Jordan Valley. These distinctions are very important. I urge you to pay closer attention.
The spell is in the midst of being broken
Boris Johnson is stumbling and failing
There is hope
153
Hopefully, this marks the beginning of the fascism recession in the world.
137
”I can not bear Netanyahu, he's a liar.” -President Sarkozy
”I have to deal with him even more than you”. President Obama
Oh, how much joy I will feel if trump’s BFF loses. I'm tired of right-wing corruption.
247
Netanyahu and Trump are both making promises they can’t keep. The truth is going to catch up to both of these con men.
132
Netanayhu needs to lose. Then go to jail.
He is corrupt, he is a warmonger, and way too authoritarian for the good of Israel.
His presence in power in Israel continues to be toxic to continued broad support for Israel.
236
Hopefully Israel will finally get rid of their corrupt leader with autocratic tendencies. We have another 15 months before we get rid of our own...
131
One can only hope and pray that Israelis will choose the path of secularism. The last time religious fundamentalists took over the Israel it ended very badly. The historian Josephus, in his chronicle the Jewish Wars, relates how in 66CE the fanatic Zealots revolted against Rome and formed an orthodox Jewish state. They even went so far as to mint their own coins with the Year 1 emblazoned on them. Within a short time the Romans under Titus recaptured Judea, completely destroying the country and leveling the 2nd Temple to the ground. The majority of the population was either killed or driven out into slavery and Israel ceased to be until 1948. This is not the bible. It is not the Torah. This is history. Hopefully the new Zealots will not come to power and destroy the country again. The big difference, however, is that the ancient Zealots were fierce fighters. The new Zealots don't lift a finger for their homeland's defense. They force the secular to wage war for them.
100
Over a fairly long life and as a reader of history I have noticed that in democracies political parties have roughly about a ten-year life in power absent extenuating circumstances, such as the Great Depression and the Second World War in America. Perhaps in Israel, after so many years of Bini, it is just time for a change.
34
This election mishugas is a metaphor for Israel's core problem. Israel has to decide what she wants to be when she grows up: a democracy or Jewish state. If Israel wants to be a Jewish state, let her decide now, and forever forego being a democracy and "a light unto the nations."
51
@Jay Cohen
Mr. Cohen,
Thank you for your clear understanding what the realities are. Israel has to be a secular democracy if she has a chance to secure peace with all of its neighbors and the rest of the world.
I truly believe that most people will see the light and vote for what democracy stands for. Then Israel will be a light to itself and rest of the world.
26
Bibi Netanyahu will only be humiliated if he loses. People like him and Trump don’t learn from a scare. They only learn from a loss. If they even learn from that.
74
He’s a horror to democracy as is Trump and the GOP and I hope we’ve seen the last of him on the worlds stage but until I see him safely behind bars, I will hold my breath on that score.
93
Another election is forthcoming. No winners here
3
Can someone explain to me what's the deal with criminals holding the highest offices in countries that are somewhat democratic?
160
@Rilke
I think a big problem is that so much of democratic government turned out to be based on norms and not laws. Look at Trump. A lot of what he does is technically legal, like not divesting, or concealing his tax returns. But not even Nixon dared to act this way, because of norms.
11
@Rilke
Because power corrupts and once voters have made up their minds that they like someone, a politician can “shoot someone on Fifth Avenue and get away with it,” as Donald Trump once famously bragged.
1
Corruption charges have followed Mr. Netanyahu for 2 and 1/2 decades, and none of them have amounted to a hill of beans. Politics inside Israel is just as vicious as it is here in the United States. Don’t believe everything you read.
how righteous can the ultra -orthodox parties be if they are willing to abide and support and save a corrupt politician to have their way? hypocrisy running rampant..
50
The returns are still early. But if that conniving, fear mongering bandit is finally turned out of office, there will be serious cause for rejoicing among those who truly prize and respect democracy wherever its supporters seek to prevail.
67
We can only hope that this will turn out to be the beginning of the end of authoritarian, right wing rulers on the world stage. We have had it. Enough, already.
81
Don't consider him gone yet. Unfortunately, he's pulled it out before and has held power. It would not surprise me if he somehow manages to win. Diminished and injured, the wounded animal can still inflict a lot of pain. At least he might not be able to squirm his way out of indictments.
24
We can hope, but remember it's still too close to call. We need to hold our breath a little longer.
26
Let's hope the democracy will win in Israel and, in turn, the crook Trump naturally supports will be booted out.
169
@Dan Botez
Amen!
17
Ironic if the Palestinians turn out to be Israeli kingmakers.
50
@turbot
Love it!
1
Where voting them out is still an option may the countries of the world vote out their wanna be autocrats.
Godspeed Israel! May Mr. Netanyahu be just the first one down.
220
The reasons I see Mr Netanyahu to be an unworthy Israeli leader are his venal alliance with Trump, his repeated alliances with religious bandits and his willingness to stoop lowest in order to claw back power and glory. His reputed crimes are microscopic compared with those Trump should stand accused of, but does NOT. Healer, heal thyself.
Netanyahu may well be the longest-governing prime minister in the history of Israel, but Mr Ben Gurion's memory has nothing to fear. The honor safely rests with him.
90
@Zalman Sandon
What did Netanyahu do-- accept some cigars and a couple of bottles of liquor. Those are acts that Trump mastered in grade school.
Trump has torn our country to shreds and no one seems able to stop him. Reversing social justice traditions, reversing environmental progress, giving tax breaks to the 1% while planning on cutting social security, food stamps and medicaid. And that's for starters.
We all know that if he is re-elected, our country will be reduced to a third class status, with the wealthy 1% on top, a very hollowed out middle class and the rest of us worker bees down on the bottom.
With the computer changing everything, we need a leader who will encompass every thing that Trump is not. Comparing Trump to Netanyahu is like comparing a basket of rotting apples with oranges.
10
4:54 AM Israel: According to Hebrew YNET the Likud took the lead.
I suggest patience. Only 26% of the vote has been counted.
Only 4% in Tei-Aviv
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@Joshua Schwartz
Channel 12 is reporting results it says it has received from inside sources in the Central Elections Committee, which the news channel claims reflect around 85% of the national vote.
According to those unofficial results, Likud and Blue and White are tied at 32 seats; next is the Joint List with 12 seats; Shas and Yisrael Beytenu have 9 seats each; United Torah Judaism has 8; Yamina has 7; Labor-Gesher is at 6; and the Democratic Camp has 5.
The right-wing bloc has a total of 56 seats, the center-left has 55 and Liberman has 9.
Channel 12 explains its data on the fact that a large majority of votes have already been counted, but due to increased scrutiny, the CEC is doing recounts in order to ensure the information it puts out is accurate.
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@Joshua Schwartz
Praying that Netanyahu loses. Israel has suffered enough under him and the world at large is sick of him.
For true peace, Israel deserves the end of the disgraceful Netanyahu era.
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@simon sez
Clarification on channel 12 results.
The Joint List, for those not familiar with it, is a political alliance of the main Arab-dominated political parties in Israel; Balad, Hadash, Ta'al and the United Arab List.
They have at least 12 mandates and possibly 15. This gives them a lot of people in the knesset. However, to date, no non-Arab party has been willing to make a coalition with them since many call for the destruction of Israel and oppose Zionism.
You need to understand the context before drawing conclusions.
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The wanna-be despots of so-called democracies are starting to get thumped. Let the thumping continue, through Israel, the UK and the USA. And let the prison doors swing open.
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@larry bennett I hope so.
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This is big !
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Goodbye BiBi.
You’ve been a shonda to Israel and have poisoned Democracy in a great land. History will not see you as a great leader but rather a great failure.
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@Brett B
He like Trump are leaders of great countries but they are both corrupt and hate their own countries.
They have both brought dishonor and shame . Maybe the nightmare of backward thinking will come to an end.
Pandora’s box had hope and we need hope since reason doesn’t work
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@Brett B Hear! Hear!
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Just as trump has destroyed our country, Netanyahu has destroyed his.
From personal criminality to threatening to annex Arab land, to supporting the Haredim cults, Netanyahu has done everything wrong.
I hope this is the end for him.
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@akamai If so, this took Trump less than 3 years! Netanyahu has been PM for 3 plus 10 years. What does that say about Israeli's? What does that say about their system?
Trump, many say, though, is also a symptom of what has been happening here politically for a long time. Trump is the acute stage of it. That we have not been able to rid ourselves of such an obvious unfit, lying, con artist, while he does as much damage as he can with all the powers Congress has given to a president over the years, says something different but as troubling about the the U.S. politically as well.
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There is so much at stake in Israel at this moment in time. But I also see a world of nations having to Choose similar roads. Roads that might change our world for a long time to come.
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I think it is unfair to write that Mr. Liberman would have put his country through an "unnecessary" election should Netanyahu win this time. Sounds to me that Mr. Liberman did what he truly believed was best - not joining Netanyahu in forming a government which supported little that his party believed in. You can look at how little the Liberal-Democrats in the UK gained in their alliance with the Tories a number of years ago - pretty much nothing the Tories said they would do. Alliances based on promises from people who are willing to dump their promises to you aren't worth much and likely only hurt the country in the long run.
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@msprinker
The LibDems nearly destroyed themselves as a party by that coalition, which I could never understand except as the greed of their leader Nick Clegg for a (very small) piece of power.
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In 2015, Benjamin Netanyahu injected himself into American foreign policy by accepting an invitation by then-Speaker John Boehner to address a joint session of Congress for the principal reason of embarrassing President Obama, who had authored the joint agreement with Iran.
Perhaps the prime minister would have fared better had he extended a similar invitation to the current American president. After all, if reports are accurate, Donald Trump is as popular in Israel as he is unpopular here. Bibi could have used the help, no?
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@Red Sox, ‘04, ‘07, ‘13, ‘18
President Obama if he laughed at insanity he would never get anything done.
Between Trump and uncle Ben we have such corruption it has to either implode or some one is going to prison
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If Bibi loses he has no one but Trump to blame for it. The US President has always been, especially Obama, a steadying force pulling them into the center when Israel was being pulled too far to the right. Now that steadying hand is gone. Bibi did keep Israel safe. I hope the next PM will continue to keep them safe. I hope he will seek peace with his neighbors.
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@SridharC
Bibi sought no peace, only land. He kept Israel safe by refusing to treat Palestinians as people.
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Remind me again, why on Earth should I care about whatever happens in this insignificant country inhabited and led by religious fanatics, and not about the other 120 plus members of the UN?
Anybody?
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@waldo I’m guessing you’re not Jewish. It’s quite significant to us.
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Because this country is a key to the powderkeg that is Middle East. Ignore it your own peril.
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@waldo
Because this country pulls strings in the American government, and has significant influence among the most powerful in America. Wait.. I'm not supposed to say that, am I?
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Oh, Lord! That the world would be rid of Netanyahu. What a blessing. The people of Israel and the West Bank deserve soooo much better! At last, we can hope.
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So the war monger is losing his grip.Maybe there's hope for us yet.
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@susan mccall He is actually not a war monger. Bibi did not start any wars, and did not attack Iran, even though he threatened to.
That being said, I am glad that Bibi is loosing his grip.
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I read this, and I can not help but think of our own election in 2020. Netanyahu, like Trump, is corrupt and power-hungry, neither relinquishing their inflated egos and senses of entitlement. Humility is anathema to them. We will find out in a few hours what Bibi's political fate is. However, this man will not give up easily. If he wins, he can not be prosecuted. But if he loses, ah..then justice will be harsh as it should be. This whole debacle is a preview of what is to come next November in these very un-united 50 states of ours. My hope? For the sake of our nations, let them both lose and sent packing.
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@Kathy Lollock From your lips to God's ears.
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"In perhaps the most cutting twist, the Arabs did indeed flock to the polls “in droves,” Israeli news outlets reported: Turnout among Arab citizens appeared to surge past 60 percent, up from just 49 percent in April.".
I cannot understand how voter turnout for this group could ever be at only 49% and a surge to 60%+ as an event to be marvelled.
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@TedO Those who think that the Arab citizens of Israel are denied the franchise might wonder if not marvel.
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@Alan J. Shaw
Huh? Your point is --?
Are you aware of how much influence Israeli Arabs have over government policy?
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Italy came to their senses. Britain is trying. Now it appears that Israel too will. If only the US would lead itself away from a President who sees the world as a zero sum game.
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Yes, but racism isn’t easy to beat! It took a Great War to beat it in 1945.
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@Marston Gould
We have our chance coming up soon. Keep your fingers crossed. Maybe we can all return to our senses.
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Israel needs to realize that America's support is not unconditional. Younger Americans are turning away from the bullying, corruption and radical right wing stance displayed by Netanyahu. If Israel wants to maintain America's support, they should start by removing such an obviously terrible leader.
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For the sake of all the fair minded, peace loving people of Israel, all the imprisoned and disenfranchised people of the West Bank and for the message it would send to the loser of the 2016 popular vote in the US Presidential election, I pray to God the Israeli people have had the courage to get rid of Bibi’s Netanyahu once and for all.
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That’s hard. As they say “by the time the truth has gotten out of bed, lies have traveled the world eight times over!”
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I have heard so many people, including many American Jews, say over the last few years that Israel is a religious theocracy, autocratic, disenfranchises its Arabs, and otherwise should be in the same camp as Hungary and Turkey in terms of its government. These folks need to make the world's biggest apology. Loudly.
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@O'Brien As a counterpoint to your vitriol, consider that the parties with the largest gains in this election are set to be the secularist Yisrael Beiteinu party and the Israeli-Arab Join List party, according to exit polls.
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@O'Brien
Hungary a religious theocracy? Do you even know where it is?
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Dear O'Brien,
Many people have said Israel is a religious theocracy, autocratic, etc., but the truth is that no nation in the entire Middle East is NOT a religious theocracy and autocratic, except for Israel. Israel's democracy is highly flawed, like that of India and the U.S.A., but it is an actual democracy. Not one other nation in the Mideast is.
So no, Israel as a whole does not owe the world much of an apology. Dozens of other nations do, in terms of how many people they oppress or kill, and really the U.S. has slain thousands of times more people than Israel ever has.
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Good. The End of An Error.
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@Check His Power Now, "Good. The End of An Error." And for us (hopefully) in 2020, maybe the end of an eros.
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That the outcome of the latest national election in Israel is "a humiliating blow to Mr. Netanyahu" is in itself fantastic news, as the man has been a dangerous, repugnant, and corrupt authoritarian for years, long before Putin and Trump began actively enabling him.
Further, as an American, the fact that Benny Gantz, a centrist, and his Blue and White party, have come out ahead of Mr. Netanyahu’s conservative Likud, not only means Gantz commands enough support to form a majority coalition, but that it is one of the first signs that someone who is in many ways indistinguishable from Trump, along with his party Likud, which is very similar to the American GOP, have fallen despite using every dirty trick imaginable to steal a national election.
Finally, indictments against Netanyahu have only been held back by his Likud Party having done everything imaginable, as well as arguably illegal, to protect him from his criminality and corruption, just as the GOP has similarly protected Trump from his pervasive criminality and corruption.
It is music to the ears to hear. It is obviously downplaying how disastrous this outcome is for Netanyahu in saying that the "election’s less-than-vindicating apparent outcome would put (Netanyahu’s) future in grave jeopardy." Simply put, in losing Netanyahu can no longer evade justice.
Here's looking forward to 2020, when Trump and Netanyahu can reminisce about the good old times together, while wearing orange jumpsuits.
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@Robert B -- He came back once, he can do it again. And remember Silvio Berlusconi. He was a zombie that wouldn't go away. So I wouldn't take anything for granted yet.
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@Robert B What you said is correct, but the situation in Israel is much worse than in the U.S. Had Netanyahu won today, Israel would have been turned into a banana republic. Israel was saved literally at the lats minute. While Trump is hollowing out regulatory agencies and manning the U.S. Supreme Court with clowns, the country is still standing and will continue to stand, even with another Trump tenure.
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I guess the building high Trump poster didn't work.
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I was in the Middle East recently and Israel and Jordan, their intelligence partners, were full of Russian “businessmen.” Many openly bragged that they used to be called “Mafia” but now were “government officials.” If Netanyahu wins, it is with their help and America should seriously be worried as McConnell met with the major distributer of voting boxes recently, and refuses to pass bills that secure them.
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Israel's Trump is no supporter of honest, caring, and inclusive politics and policies. He's preventing progress. I hope he's defeated just as I hope Trump is defeated in 2020.
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Prison is In Netanyahu's future after he loses. Much too corrupt.
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Don't count Netanyahu out.
There are only a small percentage of the votes in and we will know a lot more by tomorrow evening/night.
However, due to several factors ( the high showing for Blue and White, the upswing in the votes for Liberman's group, the strong showing of the Arab list) things are not too rosy for Bibi.
Those who gloat here do not understand Israel.
It is not as simple as it seems when looking from your armchair in Vermont.
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We might not understand Israel like they do in Maryland, but it's easy to understand that Bibi is almost certainly corrupt, has held power far too long, and is intensely bigoted against Arabs. When things look bad for Bibi, we have reason to gloat. If this is the end of his career, following an indictment and jail time, so much the better.
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@simon sez
There are plenty of corrupt regimes in the world; perhaps Israel is annoying since it positions itself as angelic, while manipulating American politicians to vote against American interests ...
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Netanyahu needs to step aside. Israel needs a change for the positive . In the US Netanyahu became dominated by Trump and his relationship with the son in law. He no longer sought a more moderate outlook and the Israeli people saw through it.
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I hope Netanyahu loses.
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Nothing shows the bad state of the world more than when an election can be "too close to call" between a tired war monger who violates the Geneva Conventions routinely, is under investigation for corruption, and whose wife is also corrupt and *any* other reasonable alternative.
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@Thomas I don't know about the "state of the world," but it sure shows the state of the US and now Israel.
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