Election Daze (1991)

December 3, 1991

We're at it again! Election Time in Israel. This cartoon was done in December of 1991. Labor was in trouble back then, too.

Setting Election Dates (1984)

April 22 1984

Today's Golden Oldie is from back in 1984. In America, elections are boringly on schedule. Here in Israel, picking the right date is part of the political process, and as I write this, we're at it again!

According to Ynet News:

Likud seeks September 4 elections
Coalition chair submits official motion for Knesset's dissolution; Opposition prefers September 16

"Coalition Chairman MK Zeev Elkin (Likud) filed an official motion for the dissolution of the 18th Knesset on Wednesday.
Likud officials told Ynet that the part will now push for elections on Tuesday, September 4.
Opposition Chairman Shaul Mofaz (Kadima) however, is pushing for Sunday, September 16 and election day.
Accordingly, the Knesset is likely to end its term next week.
Earlier, Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin said that bills proposing to dissolve the Knesset will be put to a vote on Monday." -more

Splitsville

The Kadima opposition party is upset.
According to the Jerusalem Post:

Livni: Barak's split from Labor 'dirtiest act in history'
"After defense minister announces creation of new faction, Kadima leader says Barak feared taking responsibility, making decisions in government.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak's split from the Labor Party is "the dirtiest act" in history, opposition leader Tzipi Livni of Kadima told Army Radio on Tuesday.

Livni criticized Barak's comments on Monday justifying his resignation from Labor, saying: "For Barak to call whoever wants peace post-Zionist is unheard of." -more

And the Labor party that Barak left is not happy either.
According to Ynet:

Barak's move enrages Arab Labor members
" Party members from Arab sector consider leaving following defense minister's decision to quit: 'This is the biggest blow to Left in modern Israeli history'
Defense Minister Ehud Barak's decision to quit Labor has Arab party members fuming. "This is the greatest shock to the Israeli Left in the State of Israel's modern history," said Ar'ara resident Malcham Malcham, who served as an advisor on Arab Affairs to former Minister Ophir Pines-Paz.

"This move has direct implications on the Arab sector. It endangers democracy and bolsters the Israeli Right," he said." -more

the New Israeli Government

I find something comforting in the makeup of the government that Bibi Netanyahu has apparently managed to put together. Is it comforting to you too? Or not? Will dissident Labor party members bolt the party to stay out of Bibi's government? Will opportunist Kadima members bolt their party to join Bibi's government? Predictions please? What do YOU think is going to happen next?

Likud Wins!! (1977)

Today's Golden Oldie is from way back in 1977.

Up until that time the idea that some political party other than Labor could or would win an Israeli national election was ...as indicated in the cartoon, unthinkable!

Today in Israel we are having our national elections and, according to the polls, the Labor Party may come in fourth!!! Yikes!

How times have changed!

So whom are YOU rooting for in today's elections?

Labor Party Primaries

In yesterday’s first round of voting in the Israeli Labor Party’s primaries no candidate received the necessary 40% of the vote. A second round will be held on June 11th between the top two candidates... Ehud Barak and Ami Ayalon.

To say that the Labor Party Primaries were a disappointment would be an understatement.

Here's what Jerusalem Post columnist Caroline Glick had to say about them:

The frontrunners, former prime minister and IDF chief of staff Ehud Barak, and former Navy commandant and Shin Bet chief MK Ami Ayalon, had no positions to speak of on the issues of the day. They had nothing to say about the Iranian nuclear program. They had nothing to say about Syria's daily threats of war. They had nothing to say about Gaza's post-withdrawal transformation into a mini-Taliban ruled Afghanistan replete with training bases for all the major global terror networks.

Rather than relate to the threats that Israel faces, they showed Israel their faces. They preened before the Labor voters, regaling them with tales of their glory and wisdom. And then each assembled a star-studded array of retired generals and party intellectuals and reporters to tell us how wonderful each of them are and how shallow and corrupt all of the other candidates are. -more

And maybe you'd like to check out the final results as reported in the Shanghai Daily?