Update: Looks like Bibi Netanyahu will be selected to put together a government, but is not in as strong a position as expected just weeks ago. Carl in Jerusalem has all the details and live updates.
Carl also updates on something I touched on below, Breaking: US officials concede Obama interview with Goldberg meant to hurt Netanyahu in election.
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There appears to be a large turnout, via Times of Israel, which is live blogging the results. (Update — live blog now closed, updated results here)
The most recent polling indicated that while Bibi Netanyahu’s Likud coalition will win, and he will continue as Prime Minister, his coalition has been dropping.
I noted the other day that Obama’s statement directed at Netanyahu that Israelis didn’t know what’s in their own best interest appeared to be an attempt to interfere in Israel’s election.
That suspicion is somewhat confirmed by this report that Obama’s comment was payback for Netanyahu’s perceived support of Romney:
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the well-known [“senior American Jewish”] leader, who knows senior figures in both governments but is uninvolved in American party politics, said the relationship between the White House and the Prime Minister’s Office has left him “scared about the nature of the relationship. They have to start pulling back.”
The relationship of the Obama White House and the Netanyahu PMO is widely believed to be a difficult one. After widely publicized disagreements on the peace process in recent years and Netanyahu’s public pressuring of Obama at the height of the US elections last year on Iran, Democrats have accused Netanyahu of campaigning against Obama in the 2012 elections.
A Bloomberg column by journalist Jeffrey Goldberg last week claimed Obama had told his senior staff that “Israel doesn’t know what its own best interests are” — a dig at Israel’s announcement late last year it would build in the E1 area in the West Bank that separates Jerusalem and Maaleh Adumim. The Israeli move followed the successful Palestinian bid for upgraded status at the UN in November.
The leak of Obama’s criticism “wasn’t an accident,” the American Jewish leader said. “That was payback.”
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Comments
1. …Obama’s comment was payback for Netanyahu’s perceived support of Romney
I was thinking that very thing. “With how little wisdom the world is governed.”
2. It remains to be seen whether the results leave Netanyahu better or worse off. Maybe he miscalculated in calling an early election.
Israel will suffer, either now or in the future, it is something that she cannot avoid regardless of how hard she tries. When that time comes though, I would certainly enjoy seeing her giving Obama and his heathen cronies a kick square in the teeth that they will never forget. Ultimately Israel will completely prevail in this Muslim/Israeli (Esau/Jacob) mess – but the road is long and lined all the way with annoying bastards like our Kenyan goatherd.
Baruk Hashem Israel is forever!
Israel had a unprecedented voter turnout and fortunately Netanyahu is at the helm of state. Can you imagine anyone else in Israel to lead Israel at this time? As it says in Haddassh “for such a time as this”. Remember Olmert, remember Livni who couldn’t even form a government?
Who else can stand up to the mullahs of Iran? Who else can show up that black arab sunni muslim that returned to the WH.
MIT does not give masters’ degrees to affirmative action type candidates but it isn’t Netanyahu’s two MIT degrees that have enabled him to navigate these perilous times. Only the G-d of Israel gives the kind of courage Netanyahu has shown standing in front of the UN with that drawing.
Baruk Hashem Adonai!
A chuckle from http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4335363,00.html
Iran in uproar over clip showing 2 officials kissing
Iranian higher education minister, national museum director caught on camera as they lock lips in elevator.
“Israel doesn’t know what its own best interests are.”
The clueless arrogance is just breathtaking.
It’s time again for Bibi to get Obama trapped in front of the TV cameras again … remember when Obama sat there frozen with the fake smile as Bibi lectured him politely … only this time, please take the gloves off a bit, Bibi.
That 28-year-old Bibi would eviscerate President Obama. Imagine if today’s Bibi really went at him with the cameras rolling.
I can dream, can’t I?
The biggest problem Israel has right now is not Obama.
It’ one of their own.
Former Defense Minister, Palestinian apologist/passivist lawyer/long time leader of the opposition..
Tzipi Livni
You remember her from her outstanding performance during the war in S. Lebanon a few years back.
Then again, Obama just shipped 200 state of the art Abraham tanks, and 16 F-16’s to Morsi…
….you know…that foreign aid deal that the republicans in the House said they stopped last year.
I am under the general impression that Iereal has quite a few parties who align & then quit an alliance in a huffy fit regularly.
Shifting sands as it were. Systems where there is a P M & a President are always difficult to track because they can come from entirely different parties. I usually have a pek at the body language of Netanyahu & Peres to get an idea of who is hot & who noteg Putin + Netanyahu =good , Putin + Peres = not.
But this style seems to work for Israel. It also allows everything to be debatable in the Knesset & keeps observers on edge.