Netanyahu legacy on the line in Israeli vote

[webfact]

Netanyahu legacy on the line in Israeli vote
By JOSEF FEDERMAN

JERUSALEM (AP) — As Israelis prepare to vote in parliament elections on Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu finds himself at a fateful crossroads: Make history or become history.

If Netanyahu can lead his Likud Party to victory and secure a fourth term in office, he will move closer to overtaking the nation's iconic founding father, David Ben-Gurion, as the longest-ever serving premier — and cementing a status as the dominant Israeli politician of the past two decades.

But if Likud stumbles and finds itself in the opposition — a real possibility, according to recent polls — the Netanyahu era could end with a resounding thud, concluding a career that many would say brought few major accomplishments beyond longevity. Iran and the international community seem headed toward a nuclear deal that Netanyahu abhors, and a resolution to the Palestinian issue seems as distant as ever.

"If he leaves office, he won't leave any dramatic changes," said Yoaz Hendel, a former aide to Netanyahu. In a turbulent region, one could say "this is the best thing to do," Hendel said.

The Israeli campaign is widely seen as a choice between two world views: Netanyahu's focus on Israel's many security challenges — he has long been a voice calling for zero tolerance of terrorism — or his opponents' focus on Israel's social problems and high cost of living. It also touches on his support for Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, which the opposition and the outside world detest.

But on a basic level, the campaign is simply a referendum on Netanyahu, a polarizing character who is adored as "King Bibi" by his supporters and reviled by his detractors.

The son of a Jewish historian, and scarred by the loss of his brother in a 1976 Israeli commando raid on a hijacked airline in Uganda, Netanyahu often portrays himself — and his country — in historical terms. He laces his speeches with references to Jewish history, tales of Jewish heroism and warnings that Israel's most sinister enemies lurk around every corner. The main target of his diatribes, Iran, is often compared to biblical enemies and even the Nazis.

"The days when the Jewish people remained passive in the face of genocidal enemies, those days are over," Netanyahu said in a controversial speech to the U.S. Congress earlier this month. "We are no longer scattered among the nations, powerless to defend ourselves."

It was vintage Netanyahu, delivered in flawless, American-accented English — developed during a childhood in Philadelphia and later as a university student at MIT — and with the gifted oratorical flourish that has made him prominent on the international stage.

His stern rhetorical style, often drawing comparisons to Churchill, has served him well during a three-decade career that has included time at the Israeli Embassy in Washington, as ambassador to the United Nations, a series of senior Cabinet posts and a stint as opposition leader. He has spent a total of nine years as prime minister since 1996, and if he can keep the post through mid-2019, he will become the country's longest serving premier.

But after enjoying a surge of popularity following last summer's war against Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip, Netanyahu is struggling.

Despite the speech to Congress, his efforts to halt the Iranian nuclear program — which he describes as the mission of his lifetime — appear to be stumbling as the U.S. seems to move toward a deal with the Islamic Republic.

The speech, delivered over White House objections, has worsened an already troubled relationship with President Barack Obama, boding poorly for the final two years of Obama's term if Netanyahu is re-elected.

Peace efforts with the Palestinians made no headway during the past six years, and Netanyahu has backtracked from his earlier support for a Palestinian state. Yet he has not offered an alternative vision for resolving the festering conflict. Exasperated by years of deadlock and fighting, the Palestinians are preparing to file war crimes charges against Israel after the election.

His opponents, meanwhile, have hammered his record on the economy, citing the widening gaps between rich and poor, and portrayed him as out of touch.

Although Netanyahu is still seen by the public as the candidate more suitable to be prime minister, based on his image as the "responsible adult" running the country, the gap between him and his main rival, Isaac Herzog, is closing, according to recent opinion polls.

More importantly, Herzog's Zionist Union has edged ahead. A poll conducted for the Haaretz daily published Thursday, for instance, forecast 24 seats going to Herzog's party, compared to 21 for Likud. The poll, conducted by the Dialog agency, interviewed 714 people and had a margin of error of 3 percentage points.

Since Israelis vote for parties, not individual candidates, Herzog could be given the first chance to put together a majority coalition in the 120-member parliament. A poor finish for Likud could set the stage for an internal party coup.

Netanyahu, meanwhile, has appeared increasingly rattled, giving a series of interviews to Israeli media after largely shunning them for years. One TV station, Channel 10, decided not to interview him after he refused to speak to their political correspondent, Raviv Drucker, a vocal critic of the prime minister.

In an interview Sunday, Netanyahu complained of a "worldwide" conspiracy funneling millions of dollars to oust him. "Those sending the money, they don't think about our problems here in Israel," he told the Army Radio station. "They want one thing. They want to make sure the left rises to power."

Yossi Beilin, a dovish former Cabinet minister and longtime rival of Netanyahu's, described the prime minister as a "complicated" man who truly believes in worst-case scenarios. He compared Netanyahu to the late Yitzhak Shamir, a prime minister who maintained the status quo at all costs.

He said Netanyahu's priority has always been "to manage the situation, manage the conflict, manage the economy ... When people like to remember what he really did, they will always hesitate as if they forgot something," Beilin said.

Hendel, Netanyahu's chief spokesman from 2011-2012, said his former boss can point to some key accomplishments: He built a fence along the Egyptian border that has halted an influx of African migrants. He helped guide Israel through the aftermath of the 2008 world financial crisis. His warnings about Iran's nuclear program — and threats to attack it — pushed the issue on the international stage.

But Hendel said he believes that if Netanyahu leaves office, he would not be satisfied with the outcome of the two most pressing issues: Iran's nuclear program and the lack of resolution with the Palestinians.

"He has a deep connection to history, and a deep vision of history, and his role in Israeli history," Hendel said. "What he left to the generations after him regarding those issues, I'm not sure that he's quite glad with the current outcomes today."

Shlomo Avineri, a political scientist at the Hebrew University and a former director general of Israel's Foreign Ministry, called Netanyahu "a good speaker but a very bad doer."

He said the standstill in peace efforts, the soured relationship with the U.S., the high cost of living, the emerging international deal with Iran and even last year's war against Hamas — which dealt the group a heavy blow but left its military structure largely intact — all are disappointments for Netanyahu.

"You're being judged on your record," he said.
___

Associated Press writer Ian Deitch contributed to this report.

Source: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/56ab93e54e734e05bd21333630c2e0af/israeli-leader-netanyahu-foreign-powers-want-push-me-out


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-03-16

[ezzra]

Reading the Israeli feedback columns it seems that it's going to be a cliff hanger or a majority to Herzog's Zionist Union center left party, the Israelis, while mindful of the outside dangers lurking from ever corner, as fed up with the economic situation, public health, cost of living, severe hosing issues and the Palestinians stalemate that still linger and won't go away despite all efforts have been plaguing the populations for too long now and Bibi seems to be concerning him self with Iran's nuclear issues, So it seems that Herzog's Zionist Union will come out the victor this time around, and maybe that will be a new era for Israel....

[Seastallion]

Reading the Israeli feedback columns it seems that it's going to be a cliff hanger or a majority to

Herzog's Zionist Union center left party, the Israelis, while mindful of the outside dangers lurking

from ever corner, as fed up with the economic situation, public health, cost of living, severe hosing

issues and the Palestinians stalemate that still linger and won't go away despite all efforts

have been plaguing the populations for too long now and Bibi seems to be concerning him self

with Iran's nuclear issues,

So it seems that Herzog's Zionist Union will come out the victor this time around, and maybe

that will be a new era for Israel....

The Palestinian stalemate...won't go away despite all efforts? I beg your pardon? All Netanyahu's efforts towards "the Palestinian stalemate" have been to protract it.

I hope you're right about ZU coming out the victor, and it would be a new era....but...

I don't know if it can work this way (it can in NZ which also has proportional representation). Depending on which parties make a deal, could Netanyahu still rule despite losing the majority to ZU? Lets take the 24-21 seats scenario; If Netanyahu made deals with other parties that resulted in 61 seats in total, could he assume power? Or does the majority winner get to do all the negotiating?

[phrodan]

Comparable to Churchill?

He's Israel's Tony Blair - after all his chances, he's leaving the country in a worse state.

[FangFerang]

It's a desperate pose to claim "outsiders" want Netanyahu ousted.....

"We're being invaded! It's THEM again, THOSE people who don't like us and want us to put our guard down, the horrible faceless THEY who say and do anti-Semitic "stuff" -- we have to keep funneling huge sums into the military industrial complex or, well, they will lose profits and power and we...we will lose security (and campaign funds).

[Seastallion]

It's a desperate pose to claim "outsiders" want Netanyahu ousted.....

"We're being invaded! It's THEM again, THOSE people who don't like us and want us to put our guard down, the horrible faceless THEY who say and do anti-Semitic "stuff" -- we have to keep funneling huge sums into the military industrial complex or, well, they will lose profits and power and we...we will lose security (and campaign funds).

Yeah, that was a bit disingenuous of him....he too will have millions pouring in from outside to support his platform.

[LuckyLew]

What legacy?

What is different now than when his leadership started?

[Seastallion]

What legacy?

What is different now than when his leadership started?

An ICC war crimes case is being prepared against him.

Several hundred hectares more settlements.

A worse economy.

Tense relationship with the US.

More world realisation of what right wing Zionism is about.

And then there's all the bad stuff.....

[Rancid]

As he is the defacto US president do Americans also get to vote in the Israeli elections?

[dexterm]

It's a desperate pose to claim "outsiders" want Netanyahu ousted.....

"We're being invaded! It's THEM again, THOSE people who don't like us and want us to put our guard down, the horrible faceless THEY who say and do anti-Semitic "stuff" -- we have to keep funneling huge sums into the military industrial complex or, well, they will lose profits and power and we...we will lose security (and campaign funds).

Yeah, that was a bit disingenuous of him....he too will have millions pouring in from outside to support his platform.

He certainly does...

"Critics of Mr Netanyahu say his complaints about foreign funders intervening in the election against him are disingenuous, since the American Jewish casino magnate Sheldon Adelson sponsors, at great cost, the free paper Yisrael Hayom, Israel’s most widely circulated newspaper and which delivers strongly pro-Netanyahu coverage."

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/israel-elections-netanyahu-claims-foreign-money-is-being-channelled-to-help-the-leftwing-zionist-union-beat-him-10109797.html

[Wat dee]

What legacy?

What is different now than when his leadership started?

Body count.

[Steely Dan]

It's quite amusing to see some of our esteemed members clearly rooting for the Zionist Union, considering their routine and frequent use of the 'Z' word in a pejorative sense.

[Seastallion]

It's quite amusing to see some of our esteemed members clearly rooting for the Zionist Union, considering their routine and frequent use of the 'Z' word in a pejorative sense.

I don't think I've ever read "the Z word", as you put it, being used as a pejorative. It's always used as a label for those that call themselves 'Zionist".

If you read the OP, or understood why Herzog uses the label, ie as an evocative brand, you wouldn't be surprised at why some esteemed members are rooting for ZU.

ZU want to parley. That is good. Netanyahu wants no peace, that is bad.

[RockyBeerbelly]

It's quite amusing to see some of our esteemed members clearly rooting for the Zionist Union, considering their routine and frequent use of the 'Z' word in a pejorative sense.

How can one not root for anything else then Netanyahu/Likud and their fascist ideology...

[Ulysses G.]

It's quite amusing to see some of our esteemed members clearly rooting for the Zionist Union, considering their routine and frequent use of the 'Z' word in a pejorative sense.

I don't think I've ever read "the Z word", as you put it, being used as a pejorative.

Do you really think that you are fooling anyone who reads your posts regularly?

[Publicus]

Yes yes we don't vote in Israel however the Gallup survey released last week found Bibi at a record low 38% approval rating in the US.

That's ten points behind Prez Obama and ten points ahead of Speaker and Foreign Minister of the Congress John Boehner.

I didn't see data but I think Bibi is flat even with the ayatollahs in approval among Republicans, while Prez Obama trails both badly among Republicans.

So what would all of this be without a Congressional investigation of Barack Obama.......

Report: Senate panel probing possible Obama administration funding of effort to unseat Netanyahu

http://www.newscorpse.com/ncWP/?p=26167

http://www.jpost.com/Israel-Elections/Report-Senate-panel-probing-Obama-administration-ties-to-effort-to-unseat-Netanyahu-393905

It's the One Voice Inc thing that came up last year and was immediately shot down as bogus, One Voice having been a State Department funded non-profit to improve Israeli-Palestinian relations. So what that the grant was fully spent well before Bibi called the present snap election.....

Fox reports said a source told it the One Voice investigation is on again, this time by the Senate Permanent Subcommittee On Investigations (of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton).

So what that the Once Voice thing died last year. So what that last month the chairman of the Central Elections Committee in Israel, Justice Salim Joubran found no connection between One Voice and political parties in Israel. So what....the far right there and in the US are going for it...again.

All the same, Bibi and the Bibi-lievers sound nervous. Republicans in Congress might be getting themselves ready to blame this tight Israeli election on Prez Obama too.

[Chicog]

Yes yes we don't vote in Israel however the Gallup survey released last week found Bibi at a record low 38% approval rating in the US.

That's ten points behind Prez Obama and ten points ahead of Speaker and Foreign Minister of the Congress John Boehner.

I didn't see data but I think Bibi is flat even with the ayatollahs in approval among Republicans, while Prez Obama trails both badly among Republicans.

So what would all of this be without a Congressional investigation of Barack Obama.......

Report: Senate panel probing possible Obama administration funding of effort to unseat Netanyahu

http://www.newscorpse.com/ncWP/?p=26167

http://www.jpost.com/Israel-Elections/Report-Senate-panel-probing-Obama-administration-ties-to-effort-to-unseat-Netanyahu-393905

It's the One Voice Inc thing that came up last year and was immediately shot down as bogus, One Voice having been a State Department funded non-profit to improve Israeli-Palestinian relations. So what that the grant was fully spent well before Bibi called the present snap election.....

Fox reports said a source told it the One Voice investigation is on again, this time by the Senate Permanent Subcommittee On Investigations (of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton).

So what that the Once Voice thing died last year. So what that last month the chairman of the Central Elections Committee in Israel, Justice Salim Joubran found no connection between One Voice and political parties in Israel. So what....the far right there and in the US are going for it...again.

All the same, Bibi and the Bibi-lievers sound nervous. Republicans in Congress might be getting themselves ready to blame this tight Israeli election on Prez Obama too.

Sounds like another "scandal" to me. Looking forward to the "Fox News Alerts".....

[dexterm]

"The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has said he will not allow the creation of a Palestinian state if he is re-elected in Tuesday's vote.

He was attempting to shore up support with polls putting his Likud party just behind the centre-left opposition alliance, the Zionist Union.

The centre-left alliance has promised to repair ties with the Palestinians and the international community."

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-31904962

In other words, since his 2009 Bar Ilan speech supporting a 2 state solution, he has been lying all along. How can this man be trusted on anything he says.

[Seastallion]

"The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has said he will not allow the creation of a Palestinian state if he is re-elected in Tuesday's vote.

He was attempting to shore up support with polls putting his Likud party just behind the centre-left opposition alliance, the Zionist Union.

The centre-left alliance has promised to repair ties with the Palestinians and the international community."

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-31904962

In other words, since his 2009 Bar Ilan speech supporting a 2 state solution, he has been lying all along. How can this man be trusted on anything he says.

In another report, in another thread he said something about addressing the housing shortage. I surmised at the time that it was politico-speak for "we will build more settlements".

There is something insidious going on here. On the one hand Netanyahu talks loudly about protecting Israelis and defending the country, while all the time he plans to perpetuate the provocations that lead to violent expressions from the freedom fighters that he is oppressing.

The time may be ripe. It may be, in the long run, for the world and Palestinians especially, a good thing for Netanyahu to win. His blatant disdain for international law and his aggression is being watched by the international community. There will be a last straw and another Netanyahu term may bring that about.

Here's hoping.

[Ulic]

At least he has finally come out and told the truth that he does not support a two state solution and there

will never be a Palestinian state while he is in power. He has always negotiated this way, but now

he is coming clean and stating his true position.

[Ulysses G.]

How can this man be trusted on anything he says.

He is not exactly the first politician whose position has "evolved" over time.

[Neurath]

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How can this man be trusted on anything he says.

He is not exactly the first politician whose position has "evolved" over time. alt=whistling.gif>

I do hope he hasn't, as he'd then be a living refutation of US Creationists who so fervently back him.