Israeli Elections

[StilesBC]

Wow, this really snuk up on me. I remembered making a mental note of it in December, but like many of my mental notes, I completely forgot about it.

It appears that the darkening social mood over Israel is attracting the extremists like clockwork.

The Russian-Israeli link you highlight is one I've thought about for quite a while, and is likely the link that will prove key if you're right about the Clash of Civilizations War. I've tried to explain to some in hypothetical conversations that Russia would be an ally of the West in the next world war, not an enemy. Most can't seem to wrap their minds around that.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out. I'm not sure what kind of record the pollsters in Israel have in predicting actual results. It is my understanding that the reason the government collapsed was because Beiteinu pulled out of the coalition with Kadima. But a new coalition with Likud would be a step in the wrong direction for any peace advancements. I wonder if the two together can pull off a big enough majority so as to not require either Shas or the other small right Union in their coalition.

And was the cease-fire with Hamas solely a temporary measure in preparations for the elections? I can't imagine Kadima wanting to fight an election and a war at the same time.

[StilesBC]

I awake to the following headline:

"Political crisis brews as both parties claim victory."

You just can't make this stuff up.