Far right surge alarms Israeli Arabs
As Israel prepares for a rightwing government, leaders of the Palestinian community, who account for almost 20 per cent of the population, say they are more worried than ever before
Israeli election
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Israel braced itself for weeks of political gridlock after the general election on February 10 handed a narrow victory to Tzipi Livni and her centrist Kadima party but left her with no obvious partners to form a governing majority.
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Israeli police question Lieberman
Israeli police have questioned Avigdor Lieberman, foreign minister, under caution for more than seven hours on suspicion of bribery and money laundering, a spokesman said
Lucky ‘Bibi’ needs to be kept engaged
Benjamin Netanyahu has been a lucky man. His rightwing Likud party came second in last month’s Israeli elections but he is now leading the country, cobbling together an unappealing coalition. His real troubles, though, are just beginning
Israeli foreign minister faces Egypt snub
Avigdor Lieberman, leader of the far-right Yisrael Beiteinu party, sparked outrage in Cairo last year when he lashed out at Hosni Mubarak, telling the president to ‘go to hell’
Netanyahu to shift Israel to right
Benjamin Netanyahu will be sworn in as Israel’s prime minister, marking a decisive shift to a more rightwing, hawkish government, just as the country is facing mounting international criticism
Netanyahu in surprise deal with Labour
Ehud Barak, leader of Israel’s centre-left Labour party, has struck a coalition deal that could allow Benjamin Netanyahu and his rightwing Likud party to govern without resorting to extremist fringe groups
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Comment & Analysis
A Labour fig-leaf for Netanyahu
When Ehud Barak defeated Benjamin Netanyahu’s ultra-nationalist coalition in 1999 there were whoops of joy. Ten years on, as Barak tries to bolt his Labour party on to Netanyahu’s even more rightwing coalition there is little more than a collective sneer
Woman in the News: Tzipi Livni
Israel’s election-winner is a zealous convert to the two-state solution. The need to draw the country’s final borders has become the driving force behind her ambition
Israel voters look set to move right
Security for Israelis and justice for Palestinians is attainable – but only if the US comes to realise that it is no part of its or Israel’s national interest to enable Israel to colonise Arab land
Losers will outnumber winners in Israel’s election
Whether Israel is governed by a coalition led by Kadima or Likud, the public’s shift to the right ensures there are losers abroad
Israel backs into political gridlock
The overall triumph of the right elbows aside any chance Israel will look to its future by giving up settlements and clearing the way for a Palestinian state
Profiles
Ehud Barak
Ehud Barak is judged by the majority of Israelis to have done an outstanding job in leading the war in the Gaza Strip. This however has not brought him any closer to reclaiming the office of Israel’s prime minister
Tzipi Livni
Tzipi Livni is vying for a second chance to to become Israel’s premier three months after missing her first opportunity to form a new government coalition to replace the one led by Ehud Olmert
Avigdor Lieberman
Avigdor Lieberman has emerged as one of the top political winners from the onslaught in the Gaza Strip. Polls show that the ultra-nationalist politician’s opposition Yisrael Beiteinu party may gain as many as 16 seats
Benjamin Netanyahu
Polls suggest the leader of the right-wing opposition Likud party will capture about 28 seats. That is short of outright victory but it would allow Mr Netanyahu the first stab at forming a government
Provisional results
| Party | Seat |
|---|---|
| Kadima | 28 |
| Likud | 27 |
| Yisrael Beiteinu | 15 |
| Labour | 13 |
| Shas | 11 |
| United Torah Judaism | 5 |
| Hadash | 4 |
| National Union | 4 |
| Raam-Taal | 4 |
| Jewish Home | 3 |
| Meretz | 3 |
| Balad | 3 |
Source: Haaretz newspaper, February 10 2009
Current Knesset
| Party | Seat |
|---|---|
| Kadima | 29 |
| Labour | 19 |
| Likud | 12 |
| Shas | 12 |
| Yisrael Beiteinu | 11 |
| National Union | 9 |
| Gil | 7 |
| United Torah Judaism | 6 |
| Meretz | 5 |
| United Arab List-Taal | 4 |
| Hadash | 3 |
| Balad | 3 |
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