The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

Netanyahu Wins Re-Election UPDATE: Hey, Wait, That Was Completely Wrong!

Posted on | September 19, 2019 | Comments Off on Netanyahu Wins Re-Election UPDATE: Hey, Wait, That Was Completely Wrong!

This is kind of important:

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu secured a clear path to re-election on Wednesday, with religious-rightist parties set to hand him a parliamentary majority and his main challenger conceding defeat.
With more than 99 percent of votes counted — ballots cast by soldiers at military bases will be tallied over the next two days — Netanyahu’s conservative Likud party looked likely to muster enough support to control 65 of the Knesset’s 120 seats and be named to head the next coalition government.
It would be Netanyahu’s record fifth term as premier. . . .
Trump told reporters at the White House that Netanyahu’s re-election improved the chances of peace between Israel and the Palestinians. “He’s been a great ally and he’s a friend. I’d like to congratulate him on a well-thought-out race.”
A team led by Trump’s adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner has been working on an Israeli-Palestinian peace plan, but it has not disclosed details. . . .
The close and often vitriolic contest was widely seen in Israel as a referendum on Netanyahu’s character and record in the face of corruption allegations. He faces possible indictment in three graft cases, and has denied wrongdoing in all of them.
Despite that, Netanyahu gained four seats compared to his outgoing coalition government, according to a spreadsheet published by the Central Elections Committee of parties that garnered enough votes to enter the next parliament.

So, despite his scandals, Netanyahu still won, and his coalition actually gained seats in the election, with support from Trump. The liberal media in the U.S. would have been celebrating if Netanyahu had lost, and would have considered his defeat a “bellwether” of the 2020 presidential race. Now? Never mind. Doesn’t matter. They’ll ignore it.

UPDATE: Somehow, I got the wrong news, and followed a link to an article about the April election, rather than the recent vote. So now, here is the actual latest election news from Israel:

Israel’s weakened Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saw his offer on Thursday for a coalition with his strongest political rival, Benny Gantz, swiftly rebuffed after failing to secure a governing majority in a tight election.
Netanyahu’s surprise move was an abrupt change of strategy for the right-wing leader. Its rejection could spell weeks of wrangling after Tuesday’s election, which followed an inconclusive national ballot in April.
Gantz’s centrist Blue and White party emerged from the second round of voting this year slightly ahead of Netanyahu’s Likud, but also short of enough supporters in the 120-member parliament for a ruling bloc. . . .
Responding to Netanyahu’s call, Gantz made no mention of the prime minister and said he himself would head a “liberal” coalition, political shorthand for one that excludes the Israeli leader’s long-time ultra-Orthodox allies.
Gantz said Israelis were eager for a unity government to end the political uncertainty.
But he then left it to Moshe Yaalon, a fellow Blue and White leader, to deliver a stinging rejection of a partnership with Netanyahu, citing looming corruption charges against the prime minister, who has denied any wrongdoing.
“We will not enter a coalition led by Netanyahu,” Yaalon said, echoing a position Gantz had taken throughout the election campaign and appearing to suggest that an alliance with Likud would be possible if it dumped its veteran chief.

Unlike the New York Times, which still won’t own up to its failed smear of Brett Kavanaugh, I don’t mind admitting my mistakes.



 

Category: Israel

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