Netanyahu has been courting Labor veterans for over a year. It’s been “crunch time” for Barak since January. Now it’s ostensibly “decision time” for Livni. I can haz election nao?
Decision time is here: Kadima Chairwoman Tzipi Livni says a decision will be made by Sunday on whether to form a new government or call for general elections. Speaking to Kadima faction members, Livni said: “Decisions need to be made by Sunday, and then we will know whether we’ll have a government or elections.”… On Wednesday, sources in Kadima said Livni went all out, offering religious parties Shas and United Torah Judaism a total of almost one billion shekels (roughly $260 million.) However, Shas reportedly rejected the offer, prompting Livni to tell her close associates that she is not convinced whether Shas truly wants to join the government.
Going to elections because of Shas’s blackmail is about the best way for Livni to launch her campaign. Whether it will be enough to overcome public disgust with Kadima is an open question: the Israeli electorate has the collective memory of a gnat. Maybe she can convince them that Netanyahu is too dangerous to put in power (that would be a happy morning on the rightwing JBlogosphere). Even happier: Israel in elections while Obama is winning in the US – that pretty much means that Iran gets nukes, right?
NB: time to stop checking Ha’aretz. Their in-the-tank propagandizing for Peretz was embarrassing at the time, shameful in Lebanon II retrospect. A year ago they moronically declared that Barak was “increasingly popular” as a PM candidate. During election the Ha’aretz news page basically becomes a less subtle version of the LA Times.
References:
* Labor veterans to meet Netanyahu [JPost]
* Editor’s Notes: Crunch time for Barak [JPost]
* Livni: Sunday is decision day [YNet]
* Ha’aretz Confused About Just How Great Peretz Is – Great or Super Great? [MR]
* Israeli Political Update – Ha’aretz Shills for Peretz Edition (Edition I) [MR]
* Barak becoming increasingly popular as candidate for PM [Ha'aretz]
Previously:
* Israeli Politics Roundup – 2007-11-28 – Annapolis Edition (Plus: The Most Under-Appreciated Poll Of The Month)
* Olmert Resigning, Livni To Try To Form New Coalition. Unofficial Election Countdown Begins Now.
* Israeli Politics Roundup – Likud Already Gearing Up To Lose Election Through Arrogance, Spite
