Likud is finishing up signing an agreement with UTJ.
With that (and excluding Lieberman) it means that Likud now has a solid block of 50 seats (Shas, Bayit Yehudi, National Union), while Livni has a mere 28 (Labor at 13 and Meretz at 3 said they won't sit with Lieberman and won't support Livni since she is considering it).
That means that on Wednesday night Bibi goes to Peres with a solid lead over Livni, but still short of the mandatory 61 that he needs.
As I've mentioned, Shas and UTJ would have a big problem sitting with Kadima-Lieberman as the their sole common denomonator is a civil revolution, not something those religious parties can abide by.
At some point Lieberman must come back from his irresponsible extended vacation and decide if he wants to continue playing games or actually get involved in running the country.
Of course, if there remains a deadlock situation, I wonder what happens next? Another election? Does Peres actually try to implement a rotation system? Does Olmert remain in power forever?
It's certainly time we start separating the voting and powers of the executive and legislative branches, so we can get on the road to a normal and working government without these deadlock situations (the problem with the last time they did that, is that they only did it halfway).
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד
Lieberman will give in... he doesn't want new elections, because he'd get less votes this time around.
ReplyDeleteI agree. New elections would probably mean that Likud would grow and Kadima and Lieberman would shrink.
ReplyDeleteI think he overextended his hand, and the Likud is (hopefully) offering him much less than he is demanding (certainly from the leaks it sounds that way).
I am sure Peres is dying to pronounce himself Prime Minster if there was any legal way he could.
ReplyDeleteArik's still alive and Olmert is still PM...
ReplyDeletenu?
Is Bibi a poker player?
bluke: the job is too small for him now.
ReplyDeleteBibi shed mandates before the election! And, for whatever he wants, it's not to be a "king-maker" for the right. And, Lieberman, with 15 seats, is no "king-maker" on the left, either.
ReplyDeleteNot mentioned is the merger between Labor and Meretz. Both lost strength. But added together? You get 16 seated left sided jerks. And, that's one more seat than Lieberman's.
You think Livni is the only one who sings "28 is more than 27?)
Up ahead? NO. STABLE. GOVERNMENT.
On the other hand, what does Shimon Peres see? I think he sees Olmert staying in the driver's seat; as this election goes ahead and amounts to a "whole lot of nothing."
If the deal to reach 61 ... by either side ... is nothing but a portfolio ripoff; how strong would those 61 seats be? In a knesset where there's hostile fighting going on now, about the size of the room Likud can meet in. Since they went from 12 seats to 27. (And, no one credits Bibi with the miracle this climb up really was!)
So much has been paid for Morris Talansky's mischief, you have no idea!
Oh, by the way, whatever you want to do when you're counting "winnahs" ... what happens when some right wingers end up going into the opposition? 61 to 59 looks more like a tug-of-war, than a solution.
As to Shimon Peres, he will do everything possible NOT to bring this situation to a quick resolution! Let alone, the political deals!
Now, I'll bet, again. IF Livni gets to "rotate" with Bibi, she takes the first two years. And, her screw ups so enrage the right, that instead of tug-of-war; you end up with broken rope. About dead center. (It's just a bet.)
FROM CAROL HERMAN
ReplyDeleteOy. My comments traveled as "annonymous." I hate being annonymous.
Meanwhile, Dahlia Itzik IS Shimon Peres' horse in this race!
The reason Lieberman thinks he can succeed is because a few years ago the tiny Shinui used its coalition leverage to abolish the religion ministry. Israel Beiteinu certainly has more seats than Shinui ever had.
ReplyDelete