Netanyahu Likud party storms to victory

[Cow Poke]

So says the headlines of the Deccan Herald...

Source: DH

Israel election: Netanyahu Likud party storms to victory

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today appeared headed for a record fourth term after his Likud party emerged as the surprise winner in Israel's general elections based on a campaign revolving around no compromise attitude on Palestine's statehood.

With nearly all votes counted, Netanyahu's party is set to emerge as the single largest party with 29 seats in the 120-member Parliament -- the Knesset -- five seats more than the closest rival the Zionist Union led by Isaac Herzog in a mandate considered a clear victory in the fractured Israeli polity.

The party registered victory on a campaign revolving around strong security for the Jewish state focused on denying Iran nuclear capability and a non-compromising attitude in the peace process with the Palestinians.

It was a stunning turnabout from the last pre-election polls published on Friday, which showed the Zionist Union with a four or five seat lead.

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This is a bit surprising, as I have been hearing "razor thin" and "too close to call", and forecasts of doom for Netanyahu.

[Paprika]

This is a bit surprising, as I have been hearing "razor thin" and "too close to call", and forecasts of doom for Netanyahu.

Many liberals didn't want him to win.

[Cow Poke]

Many liberals didn't want him to win.

That's part of what got me to thinking about this - maybe the "gloom and doom" was part of the "we can't have another term of this guy" mindset.

I don't think it's any secret that Obama can't stand the guy.

[Bill the Cat]

[Knowing Thomas]

I don't think it's any secret that Obama can't stand the guy.

Which makes this election win all the more sweeter.

[Cow Poke]

Which makes this election win all the more sweeter.

Netanyahu - like him or not - carries himself like a world leader. Our president carries himself like a late night talk show host.

[Sam]

Netanyahu's last-minute gains can probably be attributed to his last-minute turn towards apartheid and racism, where he officially rejected the two-state solution and warned about Arab voters being "bussed in." Likud's gains, given that the Zionist-Union got its expected 24 seats, came from voters on the hard-right factions crossing over to Likud.

The official time-of-death of the two-state solution, increased Israeli settlements in Palestinian land, and heightened racial tensions in Israel itself are not things to celebrate.

[Cerebrum123]

Netanyahu's last-minute gains can probably be attributed to his last-minute turn towards apartheid and racism, where he officially rejected the two-state solution and warned about Arab voters being "bussed in." Likud's gains, given that the Zionist-Union got its expected 24 seats, came from voters on the hard-right factions crossing over to Likud.

The official time-of-death of the two-state solution, increased Israeli settlements in Palestinian land, and heightened racial tensions in Israel itself are not things to celebrate.

A "two state solution" was dead out of the starting gate. So it's "time of death" was a LONG time ago. It has been, and will remain a situation where Israel has to defend itself from it's neighbors because they want Israel wiped off the map. They don't want a little bit of territory, or peace. They want to destroy anything remotely Jewish/Israeli, and they want to destroy all but Islam. I think it's kind of hard to heighten racial tensions from the state it was already in. I also think that only a collapse of Islam will do anything to lessen the tension currently there.

[Cow Poke]

Netanyahu's last-minute gains can probably be attributed to his last-minute turn towards apartheid and racism...

WOW!!! Apartheid and racism! One side is hellbent on the DESTRUCTION of Israel, vowing to "wipe it off the face of the earth" or "push it into the sea", and you play the racism card!

If you were here, I would whack you in your left knee with a nurf bat!

PLEASE tell me you just forgot to use sarcasm tags!

[Cow Poke]

Netanyahu's last-minute gains can probably be attributed to his last-minute turn towards apartheid and racism, where he officially rejected the two-state solution and warned about Arab voters being "bussed in." Likud's gains, given that the Zionist-Union got its expected 24 seats, came from voters on the hard-right factions crossing over to Likud.

The official time-of-death of the two-state solution, increased Israeli settlements in Palestinian land, and heightened racial tensions in Israel itself are not things to celebrate.

So, the "other side" wants ALL Jews dead. What, in your mind, would be a good compromise, Sam? 75% of Jews dead? 50%? 25%?

[Sam]

A "two state solution" was dead out of the starting gate. So it's "time of death" was a LONG time ago. It has been, and will remain a situation where Israel has to defend itself from it's neighbors because they want Israel wiped off the map. They don't want a little bit of territory, or peace. They want to destroy anything remotely Jewish/Israeli, and they want to destroy all but Islam. I think it's kind of hard to heighten racial tensions from the state it was already in. I also think that only a collapse of Islam will do anything to lessen the tension currently there.

Yup. That's the wing-nuttery that saved Bibi's job.

If all the neighboring states wanted to really "wipe Israel off the map," they could've easily done it by now. Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia ... no real push there since the Six Day War and no indication that any of them today would even want to try to mount the air and ground offensive necessary to defeat, let alone obliterate, Israel.

And while a hearty portion of folks in Israel and the USA imagine existential threats to the Israeli state, the open-air prison camp that is Gaza will continue indefinitely.

On the plus side, officially abandoning the two-state solution puts Netanyahu in a poor position with the international community. Netanyahu and his like will only continue to degrade support for an illegal and unacceptable status quo.

[Darth Executor]

One only needs to look at Europe (or the US for that matter) to see how much social unrest the presence of a small number of muslim causes. Sam's kumbayah visions of the future are a downright denial of human nature.

[Cow Poke]

Yup. That's the wing-nuttery that saved Bibi's job.

If all the neighboring states wanted to really "wipe Israel off the map," they could've easily done it by now. Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia ... no real push there since the Six Day War and no indication that any of them today would even want to try to mount the air and ground offensive necessary to defeat, let alone obliterate, Israel.

And while a hearty portion of folks in Israel and the USA imagine existential threats to the Israeli state, the open-air prison camp that is Gaza will continue indefinitely.

On the plus side, officially abandoning the two-state solution puts Netanyahu in a poor position with the international community. Netanyahu and his like will only continue to degrade support for an illegal and unacceptable status quo.

Have you ever actually BEEN to Israel, Sam?

[Sam]

Have you ever actually BEEN to Israel, Sam?

I have close friends who were there at the start of the Second Intifada. That count?

[Bill the Cat]

If all the neighboring states wanted to really "wipe Israel off the map," they could've easily done it by now. Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia ... no real push there since the Six Day War and no indication that any of them today would even want to try to mount the air and ground offensive necessary to defeat, let alone obliterate, Israel.

Israel has nuclear weapons and a kick-butt military. The Arab nations around them know it. Nuclear deterrence keeps them at bay.