There's an election going on in Israel

09 April 2019, 04:10 PM

From Haaretz:

quote:
Shocking exit polls destroyed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hopes of an easy victory in the Israeli election Tuesday night. The exit polls published immediately after voting ended were contradictory: in some, Netanyahu’s rival for the premiership, Benny Gantz, held a clear lead, while others showed the two candidates virtually tied.

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We are all visitors to this time, this place. We are just passing through. Our purpose here is to observe, to learn, to grow, to love… and then we return home. - Australian Aboriginal proverb

Bazootiehead-in-training

09 April 2019, 04:58 PM

Piano*Dad

The issue may come down to whether or not two small parties (one of the right, and one that is Arab) win seats or get shut out. That will affect coalition possibilities.

In this election, Arab turnout is very low. Elections have consequences...

09 April 2019, 07:09 PM

Steve Miller

quote:
Originally posted by Piano*Dad:
In this election, Arab turnout is very low.

Possibly having to do with voter intimidation?

09 April 2019, 07:41 PM

Piano*Dad

Quite possibly. But that's a transparently weak form of intimidation. Many people have stood up to far worse intimidation in many parts of the world to exercise the franchise.

09 April 2019, 08:17 PM

Piano*Dad

Just looking at the numbers, I see a path for Gantz to wind up as prime minister.

If the exit poll average is correct, his party plus Labor and Meretz would have 47 of the 61 votes needed to form a government. If the Arab parties (11 votes) support from the back benches they're at 58. Rabin, by the way, governed with just such a coalition during the Oslo process. That would lead to a bidding war over United Torah Judaism, which has 7 votes. They'll go where the money is best since their constituents are heavily subsidized by the state.

09 April 2019, 11:36 PM

Steve Miller

Have you ever wondered why it’s only right-wingers who have to rely on voter intimidation and dirty tricks to get elected?

Seems universal.

10 April 2019, 09:18 AM

Amanda

Kus emek.

10 April 2019, 10:41 AM

Piano*Dad

quote:
Originally posted by Steve Miller:
Have you ever wondered why it’s only right-wingers who have to rely on voter intimidation and dirty tricks to get elected?

Seems universal.

Really?

"I Give and You Give: Food for Votes in Venezuela

10 April 2019, 11:04 AM

wtg

Meanwhile, the attorney general marches on.

quote:
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s attorneys will receive evidence in the corruption cases against him on Thursday as they prepare for pre-indictment hearings slated to take place within the next three months.

Netanyahu is a suspect in three criminal probes, dubbed by police cases 1000, 2000 and 4000, in which investigators have recommended graft indictments.

Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit announced in February that he intended to indict Netanyahu in all three cases, pending a hearing.

Citing fears of leaks to the press of the evidence against Netanyahu in the middle of a hard-fought election campaign, the prime minister’s attorneys asked Mandelblit to freeze the hearing process and not release to them the evidence in the case, even at the cost of delaying their preparations for the pre-indictment hearings.

With the election over, Netanyahu’s attorneys were summoned by Mandelblit’s office to meet at the Justice Ministry on Thursday to receive the prosecutors’ case files so they can prepare their client’s defense.

Mandelblit has said the hearings will be held within three months of election day.

More popcorn?

https://www.timesofisrael.com/...indictment-hearings/