Israel elections: LIVE UPDATES

[forest444]

Source: The Guardian

Netanyahu hails 'great victory' as Herzog refuses to concede defeat

*Exit polls put Herzog and Netanyahu at dead heat with 27 seats.

*Netanyahu appeals to right wing by rejecting Palestinian statehood.

*Moshe Kahlon of Kulanu party courted as potential kingmaker.

*Arab Joint List, Yesh Atid and other parties vie for influence in outcome.

Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2015/mar/17/israel-elections-netanyahu-herzog-voters-coalition-knesset

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[Fred Sanders]

1. PM Herzog and PM Kahlon - sounds better than more Bibi allied with the extreme right tea folks.

"Kahlon seems to dislike Netanyahu intensely, and he certainly has the power to crown Herzog, a mild-mannered lawyer and scion of a venerable family of Zionist founders. Kahlon’s platform is moderate, as are top lieutenants in his party, and despite his Likud roots he has supported the idea of peace talks. It is not inconceivable that the left’s desire to unseat Netanyahu extends to offering Kahlon a rotation as prime minister."

[forest444]

2. Your words to God's ear.

But then, they do say He has a bizarre sense of humor.

I think of those three million+ people suffering under probably the most brutal occupation since that of Japan over China in the 1930s. An occupation which, similarly, went largely ignored by the international community despite mounting atrocities.

I support Israel - but Israel will be safe no matter what; we, the ever-generous U.S. taxpayers, vouch for that. Resistance -even armed resistance- is no justification for the ethnic cleansing of Rwandan proportions Netanyahoo has inflicted. Israel needs change probably more than any other country in the world right now, especially because of its importance in the world. We shall see.