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

Netanyahu's Road Map

According to YNET:

Agreement reached between PM, defense and housing ministers to freeze building starts in settlements blocs and east Jerusalem until early 2010 enrages settler leaders. 'If Netanyahu implements Livni's policy – government's days are numbered,' Ariel mayor warns

"Settler leaders were furious Tuesday morning after learning of the agreement to freeze building starts in the territories, including in the settlement blocs and east Jerusalem" -more

Your thoughts?

It's Simple

I saw Tzipi Livni, head of Israel's opposition Kadima party, being interviewed on Israel TV this evening. She's off to the States to push for a "two-state" solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict. She said that the "two-state" solution was the only path to peace.

I thought about that for a while and thus was born today's cartoon ...and the simple "twenty four-state" solution. Your thoughts?

Israeli Elections

Israel is eight days away from Knesset elections. Our Main Stream Media, trying to ape their American counterparts, is covering it like a Presidential campaign, i.e. as a race for Prime Minister.

We, the Israeli electorate, however, will not be voting for Prime Minister ...We will vote for the political party of our choosing ...and there are many parties from which to choose.

...but the Media, especially our Television News shows insist on seeing it as a race between individuals: Tzipi Livni (Kadima Party), Ehud Barak (Labor Party), and Bibi Netanyahu (Likud Party). The sudden rise in popularity of Avigdor Lieberman (Israel Beiteinu Party) has thrown our media mavens into a tizzy ...up until now they've been demonizing Netanyahu as the right wing threat and here comes Lieberman, to the right of Bibi! Yikes!!

Kadima Road Trip

People often ask me "How do you get your ideas?"

Well I thought of this one while writing a previous blog commentary. Don't believe me?
Here.
Look. Previous commentary

Political Miracles (1976)

Today's Golden Oldie is from 1976.

Back then I wondered at the system which kept a government in power after it had fallen from power. It is now thirty two years since I drew this cartoon. I still feel the same way. In fact the LSF (long suffering wife) suggested that I just redraw the cartoon and send it out to syndicate newspapers as a "new" cartoon.

* * * Now we'll have Tzipi Livni instead of Olmert? The befuddled Kadima gov't has crashed, burned, tumbled down an embankment and it keeps on plowing ahead, with us as the frightened passengers and them putting in a new driver at the wheel...

hmmm...

Now that could be a cartoon!