Netanyahu speech: an attempt to draw attention from increasing inequality.
 

According to Krugman, the real purpose of Natanyahu's congress speech was to
deflect the Israeli electorate attention from the growing inequality in the country.

Krugman indicates that the Israeli departure from kibbutz imagery really began after privatization when a clique got control of certain heights of the economy.

This is a new insight for me.

Like in Russia, Ukraine and ex soviet satellites privatization was an oppurtunity for the smart and well connected to grab national assets for peanuts and then form and reinforce an exclusive club...oligarchic. A George Soros inspiration. :D

I did not realize that Israel, although not an ex soviet, was part of the privatization set.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/16/op...pgtype=article

I'm hoping Bibi has a Mitt-moment tomorrow. ;)

What a schmuck...http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/...y.html?hpid=z1

Because he is in a tight spot he is giving voice to his true long held intention.

Israelis of whatever political stripe understand that no US government will
push hard against them for their positions on settlement and Palestinian State.

The Israelis and their interests have undermined and to some extent intimidate US governments. We have become the client state.
Thanks to Netanyahu more people can discern the real nature of Israeli/US relationship.

http://images.sodahead.com/polls/003...es_xlarge.jpeg

PRECISELY.

Uh Zeke your bias is showing (and so is Don's), there was and is fault on both sides. History shows who started it, but tit for tat rarely works in the long run.

How am I biased?

My posts essentially deal with the powerful nature of the Israeli lobby and Netanyahu
use of such a lobby.

Oops, sorry Don I see that Zeke posted the link not you after quoting your post, which is sort of nasty. Eyesight is not what it used to be.

There is more to Zeke's post than meets the eye. ;)

Any election news from Tel Aviv yet?

http://www.haaretz.com/news/israel-e...-2015/1.647304

Looks like Bibi is running scared.

I hope that fucker goes down.

Maybe we'll see some results soon.

It's later there than it is here.

Bibi could still be the next PM even if he loses. For example, Likud didn't win the 2009 elections after Ehud Olmert's resignation, but Netanyahu was still able to cobble together a ruling coalition.

Per Wiki, here's the procedure for who gets to be PM:

After official results are published, the President delegates the task of forming a government to the member of Knesset with the best chance of assembling a majority coalition (usually the leader of the largest party, but not required). That member has up to 42 days to negotiate with the different parties, and then present his or her government to the Knesset for a vote of confidence. Once the government is approved (by a vote of at least 61 members), he or she becomes Prime Minister.

FWIW, the current President, Reuven Rivlin belongs to Likud.

He's using the 'bagger handbook of blaming minorities for the polls while whining about the election laws.

Poor Bibi, it's still a little early but I'm calling it Bibi's boo boo for playing the race card. ;)

Yes, in the last days of the campaign he has increase the decibels of his race baiting and scare mongering.

Moshe Kahlon of the Kulanu party is the key player in the building of any
coalition.
One of his major concern is the high price of basics in Israel.

This is the key issue for nearly everybody except the Far Right. The cost of living there is insane. My son's apartment in Tel Aviv is $3,500/month. Thankfully, it's covered by his housing allowance. Grocery prices are also insane, about 3X what they are here (other than fresh produce at big outdoor markets). A falafel or shawarma from a street vendor is upwards of $10, as is a good beer at a bar.

Netanyahu from today:

Yet another right winger complaining about voter participation. If he loses, which I fervently hope, he can move to Texas.

Too close to call at this point but Likud is supposedly up by one seat.

Looks like it's going to be Evil triumphing over good on this one. :(

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/18/wo...rzog.html?_r=0

A sad day for Israel.

Looks like playing the race card worked. Bibi seems to have about 30 seats and Herzog/Livni around 24.

John

Israel spied on the US/IRAN discussions.

http://jewishbusinessnews.com/2015/0...nuclear-talks/

Before Netanyahu's campaign event in the House of Representatives, the Obama Administration warned him not to disclose any details of the, um, secret "P5+1" talks.

In other words, we knew the Israelis had been spying on them.

We need to place conditions on our aid to Israel, particularly as concerns progress toward a two-state solution, maybe even to acknowledging that they have nukes and signing he NNPT.

John