Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeremy
Who won Israeli elections? I heard today that it was Benjamin Netanyahu,not for sure though. Just what Obama wants, a hard right israeli.  I bet he doesn't give up land for peace.   |
Aloha Jeremy,
It looks like Netanyahu will be able to put together enough center/right political parties to get a majority in the 120 seat Israeli Parliament.
Israeli politics are more convoluted and messed up than the U.S. - if you can believe it:
ISREAL'S MAJOR POLITICAL PARTIES {As I Understand Them}
Likud= Secular {Conservative - Defense & Social}
Israel Our Home = Secular {Ultra-Conservative – Defense / Social?}
United Torah Judaism = (UTJ) = Religious {Conservative – Defense / Social = Liberal}
Jewish Home = Religious = {Conservative – Defense / Social = Liberal}
National Union = Religious = {Conservative – Defense / Social = Liberal}
Shas = Religious = {Conservative to Moderate – Defense / Social = Liberal}
Kadima = Secular {Moderate to Conservative – Defense / Social = Liberal}
Labor = Secular {Moderate – Defense / Social = Liberal – Socialist}
Meretz = Secular {Moderate to Weak – Defense / Social = Liberal - Socialist}
Balad = Arab = {Weak – Defense / Social?}
Raam-Taal = Arab = {Weak – Defense / Social?}
Hadash = Arab/Jewish party = {???}
The following results were posted in "Arutz Sheva" {The only "Conservative" National News Paper in Israel.}
Quote:
The final results were announced Thursday evening, Feb. 12,
following the counting of the soldiers' and foreign diplomats' votes.
Percentage of votes counted: 100%
Real Results updated to: 8:01 p.m. Feb. 12
Nationalist/Religious Bloc Knesset Seats
Likud .................................................. .. 27
Yisrael Beiteinu (Israel Is Our Home) ........... 15
Ichud Leumi (National Union) ...................... 4
Bayit Yehudi (Jewish Home) ........................ 3
Shas .................................................. .. 11
United Torah Judaism ................................. 5
Total for Nationalist/Religious Block ...... 65
Leftwing Bloc
Knesset Seats
Kadima ................................................. 28
Labor ................................................... 13
Meretz ................................................... 3
Ra'am Ta'al (Arab party) ............................ 4
Balad (Arab party) .................................... 3
Hadash (Arab/Jewish party) ....................... 4
Total for Left-wing Bloc ......................... 55
The soldiers' votes, in contrast to the last election in 2003, did not change the number of Knesset seats each party received
although it narrowed the gap between Kadima and Likud to less than 30,000 votes, or three-quarters of a percent.
The remaining task for determining the final number of Knesset seats for each party is to complete the complicated
calculation of vote sharing agreements and to examine appeals.
Vote sharing agreements in this year's elections were made between:
Labor and Meretz;
Likud and Yisrael Beiteinu;
Shas and United Torah Judaism;
Ichud Leumi (National Union) and Bayit Yehudi (Jewish Home);
Ra'am-Taal and Hadash.;
Kadima and Hayerukim (Green)
Kadima's agreement was voided because the Green party did not receive the minimum number of votes to enter the Knesset.
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Netanyahu needs a minimum of 61 seats, and it looks like he has 65 seats. It may take 2 to 4 weeks for him to form his government.
Check out the following link for first hand news from Israel from the Only "Conservative" National News Paper (Radio & T.V.) in Israel - "Arutz Sheva"
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/
I hope that this has been of some help.