Israeli Politics Roundup - Kadima's Tent Is So Large That Even Crooks Can Fit Inside Edition
There's something about marginal Leftist groups that causes them to passionately fight over the most minute procedural issues, as if by pretending that they constitute a significant body they in fact become one. The closer Meretz comes to beating the Likud in the race to the bottom, the more their petty internal debates focus on party rulemaking.
Kadima
Kadima announces illustrious and not so illustrious acquisitions :
- Social charity goddess Navah Barak, who is Ehud Barak's ex-wife.
- All but confirmed crook Tzachi Hanegbi, who is quitting his job as the Likud's Chairman and bringing himself and his future corruption indictment into Kadima. He claims he's acting out of loyalty, but it's far more likely that he's counting on a close association with Sharon, which has saved him in the past, to save him again:
"I cannot lie in my heart: I am with you, Mr. Prime Minister," Hanegbi asserted. Kadima sources noted that Hanegbi had been supporting the prime minister for a long time in political and diplomatic struggles. The support may be viewed as surprising in view of his traditional far-right wing views.
The reason Hanegbi has a history of supporting Sharon is because he's a political opportunist who will betray whatever modicum of ideology he has for a Ministry appointment.
In a recent public opinion poll, Hanegbi was chosen as the most corrupt MK. As justice minister, he was involved in the ill-fated recommendation to appoint as attorney-general Likud activist Roni Bar-On, for whom Hanegbi had been an intern. Bar-on was one of the earliest recruits to Kadima.
Pathetic.
On the other hand:
Mere Rhetoric, 11/07/05:
We also wonder whether the Likud rebels who spitefully choose to oppose Sharon on these relatively minor issues are at all uncomfortable with the fact that they've effectively ruined their political careers: "Prime Minister Ariel Sharon vowed to take revenge against the eight Likud MKs whose votes blocked the appointments of his allies"
Ynet, 12/07/05:
When Sharon gets even, he gets even big-time. He's taken every semblance of political moderation away from the Likud, every sign of balance identified with the center of the political map.
Yeah, cause we're really above gloating.
Likud
The Likud will be led by Danny Naveh until the election of a new chairman. Downside: constant leadership changes signal to the public that the Likud is in chaos. Upside: no longer being led by the most corrupt Minister in recent memory. Likud's new strategy for proving they have no corrupt politicians: have everybody leave.
Netanyahu is attacking Peretz's atrocious approach to helping the poor by destroying the Israeli economy:
Regarding Peretz, Bibi said, “He thinks money grows on trees and can simply be plucked and allocated among the major unions. "Only he who filled the State coffer can see to it that people are taken out of the poverty cycle permanently," he said, adding that "Peretz brought the Histadrut (Labor Union) down, and almost brought the pension funds down as well."
All true. And if Netanyahu was running for Finance Minister instead of Prime Minister, we're sure he'd be a lot more popular right now.
Mofazaccused Sharon of manipulating defense officials outside the Likud and undermining Mofaz inside the Likud. It is kind of a sad situation, because one of the reasons that Mofaz isn't doing well in the Likud is because he stood by Sharon during disengagement. But, Israeli politics being what it is, Kadima officials have made it plain that they literally could not care less.
How bad are things getting in the Likud? Members are defecting to the Labor party.
Labor
Amir Peretz's plans to stack the Labor party with sycophants and personal friends is now pretty much out in the open:
Labor Chairman Amir Peretz was seeking Wednesday to move the Labor Party primaries to early January, upsetting several party members who said they needed longer to campaign... "Why does everything need to be hurried and fast?" asked a Labor MK seeking reelection, who asked not to be named. "While the newcomers have received all this publicity the rest of us have had to fight for the spotlight. The sooner the elections, the greater the buzz around the new party members, and the more likelihood that they will get votes over veteran members."
Ha'aretz parrots yesterday's news about Peretz's showboating refusal to accept his national responsibilities as Opposition Leader and use a armored car - just to make sure that all their readers know that Amir Peretz is for the little guy.
Kadima
Kadima announces illustrious and not so illustrious acquisitions :
- Social charity goddess Navah Barak, who is Ehud Barak's ex-wife.
- All but confirmed crook Tzachi Hanegbi, who is quitting his job as the Likud's Chairman and bringing himself and his future corruption indictment into Kadima. He claims he's acting out of loyalty, but it's far more likely that he's counting on a close association with Sharon, which has saved him in the past, to save him again:
"I cannot lie in my heart: I am with you, Mr. Prime Minister," Hanegbi asserted. Kadima sources noted that Hanegbi had been supporting the prime minister for a long time in political and diplomatic struggles. The support may be viewed as surprising in view of his traditional far-right wing views.
The reason Hanegbi has a history of supporting Sharon is because he's a political opportunist who will betray whatever modicum of ideology he has for a Ministry appointment.
In a recent public opinion poll, Hanegbi was chosen as the most corrupt MK. As justice minister, he was involved in the ill-fated recommendation to appoint as attorney-general Likud activist Roni Bar-On, for whom Hanegbi had been an intern. Bar-on was one of the earliest recruits to Kadima.
Pathetic.
On the other hand:
Mere Rhetoric, 11/07/05:
We also wonder whether the Likud rebels who spitefully choose to oppose Sharon on these relatively minor issues are at all uncomfortable with the fact that they've effectively ruined their political careers: "Prime Minister Ariel Sharon vowed to take revenge against the eight Likud MKs whose votes blocked the appointments of his allies"
Ynet, 12/07/05:
When Sharon gets even, he gets even big-time. He's taken every semblance of political moderation away from the Likud, every sign of balance identified with the center of the political map.
Yeah, cause we're really above gloating.
Likud
The Likud will be led by Danny Naveh until the election of a new chairman. Downside: constant leadership changes signal to the public that the Likud is in chaos. Upside: no longer being led by the most corrupt Minister in recent memory. Likud's new strategy for proving they have no corrupt politicians: have everybody leave.
Netanyahu is attacking Peretz's atrocious approach to helping the poor by destroying the Israeli economy:
Regarding Peretz, Bibi said, “He thinks money grows on trees and can simply be plucked and allocated among the major unions. "Only he who filled the State coffer can see to it that people are taken out of the poverty cycle permanently," he said, adding that "Peretz brought the Histadrut (Labor Union) down, and almost brought the pension funds down as well."
All true. And if Netanyahu was running for Finance Minister instead of Prime Minister, we're sure he'd be a lot more popular right now.
Mofaz
How bad are things getting in the Likud? Members are defecting to the Labor party.
Labor
Amir Peretz's plans to stack the Labor party with sycophants and personal friends is now pretty much out in the open:
Labor Chairman Amir Peretz was seeking Wednesday to move the Labor Party primaries to early January, upsetting several party members who said they needed longer to campaign... "Why does everything need to be hurried and fast?" asked a Labor MK seeking reelection, who asked not to be named. "While the newcomers have received all this publicity the rest of us have had to fight for the spotlight. The sooner the elections, the greater the buzz around the new party members, and the more likelihood that they will get votes over veteran members."
Ha'aretz parrots yesterday's news about Peretz's showboating refusal to accept his national responsibilities as Opposition Leader and use a armored car - just to make sure that all their readers know that Amir Peretz is for the little guy.
