Opinion

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  Trouble Ahead for Bibi. Plus: Why Herzog Lost

  In the end it wasn’t even close. Pre-election polls had Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud trailing the Zionist Union of Yitzhak Herzog and Tzipi Livni by four Knesset seats, nearly 4% of the popular vote. Analysts around the world were falling over each other to write Bibi’s political obituary. Then came election day. Exit polls found he’d…

  By J.J. Goldberg

  4 min read
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  Opinion

  Election Spotlights Israel’s Broken Electoral System

  Israeli voters are now officially exhausted by too many elections. Twice in two years, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has failed to pass the state budget, and by calling early votes he threw the country into chaos. We now alternate between one year needed to dissolve the Knesset and government and reconstitute them, and another year…

  By Sergio Della Pergola Mar 18, 2015 | 3 min read
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  Opinion

  Live-Blogging Israel’s Election Results

  Getty Images J.J. Goldberg and Nathan Guttman analyze Israel’s exit polls as they come in, bouncing ideas off one another to figure out what’s next for the government. This post will be updated frequently, so check back soon. Nathan Guttman (7:00 PM) Isaac Herzog put on his best face and told his supporters that it…

  By J.J. Goldberg and Nathan Guttman Mar 17, 2015 | 4 min read

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• Dan Perry The Iran war ended terribly for the US, and even worse for Israel

  

• Emily Tamkin Outrage over Nicholas Kristof’s op-ed on sexual assault of Palestinians is missing the point

  

• Jay Michaelson When it comes to Israel/Palestine, everyone is sure that everyone else is a bigot

  

The Latest

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  Opinion

  In Jaffa, Israeli Arabs Get Out the Vote

  Silan Dallal, a Jewish activist with the Joint List / Naomi Zeveloff This morning, Wael Mahamid received a mass text message from the Likud party with the warning to its right wing base that Israeli Arabs were going to the polls in record numbers. But Mahamid only laughed at the message, which was sent out…

  By Naomi Zeveloff Mar 17, 2015 | 3 min read
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  Opinion

  Vote Seen Too Close to Call, Herzog ‘Very Worried’

  Ben Caspit at Maariv reports that internal polls of the two main parties show the race too close to call, Herzog camp “deeply worried.” Race might be too close to call for 4 p.m. exit polls to be particularly meaningful. Last minute surge of right-wing voters from Avigdor Lieberman’s Yisrael Beiteinu and Eli Yishai’s Yahad…

  By J.J. Goldberg Mar 17, 2015 | < 1 min read
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  Opinion

  Turnout Surprisingly Low in Israel. Who’s Hurt?

  Forget the pre-election spin from enthusiastic Israeli lefties and despondent righties. Forget the three-day-old polls. Don’t start popping the champagne or sitting shiva (whatever your preference). At the voting booths, it’s still anybody’s game. Overall turnout, which was expected to be high due to the intense emotions surrounding the campaign, has been unexceptional. As of…

  By J.J. Goldberg Mar 17, 2015 | 3 min read
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  Opinion

  Left or Right, Election Is Day at Beach

  Or Amar, 21, with Martina Bialek, 23 / Naomi Zeveloff In Israel, election day is a holiday. And in Tel Aviv, voters traditionally hit the beach after they go to the polls — whether they vote for left or right wing or anything in between. “The day started with coffee, very early, then we went…

  By Naomi Zeveloff Mar 17, 2015 | 2 min read
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  Opinion

  Leafy Enclave United in Wanting Bibi Out

  In Beit Hakerem a leafy, historically left-leaning neighborhood in West Jerusalem, Israel’s conflict with the Palestinians and its standing with the United States was driving voters to the ballot box. Voter after voter said they had hope that a new government would bring peace and prosperity — and end Netanyahu’s grip on power. “I think…

  By Naomi Zeveloff Mar 17, 2015 | 2 min read
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  Opinion

  Will Har Homa Come Home to Bibi?

  In the West Bank settlement of Har Homa, just outside Jerusalem, many residents said they were voting for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — some in spite of themselves. Forty-year-old Ilana Ben Moshe echoed remarks of many when she said she was torn between Netanyahu and other right wing candidates, especially Jewish Home Party leader Naftali…

  By Naomi Zeveloff Mar 17, 2015 | 2 min read
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  Opinion

  Bibi Bops Buji or Bye-Bye Bibi?

  From David Letterman’s Monday night monologue, a news update explaining where things stand in the Israeli election. It works best if you read it out loud: As Israelis go to the polls this week, Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu trails significantly behind Isaac “Buji” Herzog. This is a reversal of last week, when Bibi bested Buji. But…

  By J.J. Goldberg Mar 17, 2015 | < 1 min read
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  Opinion

  Lame Effort To Counter Generals’ Attack on Bibi

  A right-wing Israeli activist group tried today to counter the anti-Netanyahu campaign of a reserve generals’ peace group, Commanders for Israel’s Security, by announcing its own list of “Officers and Soldiers Against the Partisan-Political Use of the IDF.” The pro-Netanyahu daily Israel Hayom reported on Monday that Im Tirtzu, best known for its attacks on…

  By J.J. Goldberg Mar 17, 2015 | 4 min read