

Israel’s election

The hawks’ wings are clipped

A sparky performance by a middle-of-the-road party may pull Binyamin Netanyahu back to the centre—and perhaps towards talks with the Palestinians

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Readers' comments



The state of Israel under Netanyahu has no conception whatsoever as to the meaning of either civil or human rights. It authorises the killing of civilians, women and children, both on land and on the high seas.
It believes itself to be superior to other nation states notwithstanding its economic dependence upon them. Israel is the ground zero of a global tragedy waiting to happen. Its illegal transfer of half a million of its own citizens to the occupied Muslim-Arab, West Bank being its own existential threat.
However the Likud government of Netanyahu is too blind and arrogant to accede to the legitimate demands of the EU and the US nor to adhere to the resolutions o the United Nations nor to the international law of the Geneva Conventions on Human Rights.
It is a complete tragedy of unquantifiable proportions, for when the conflict finally erupts, the entire region and beyond will reverberate to the sound and fury of a nuclear-weaponed war that will make Syria look like a local skirmish.
Yet the US still pours huge shipments of arms and military equipment into this client state at the demand of the lobby. It is insanity.

Mr Real

I find it interesting that every nation on this planet as well as the people in those nations have so much to complain about as far as Israel is concerned. I find it interesting that countries like Russia where a murdering group of semi dictators are running the nation is so often out in front. The UK that has been in the middle of killings in Northern Ireland for years, France who was first to begin the Viet Nam war, sink a green peace ship & treat Muslims like 3rd class people. All these nations & dozens more think they know better what Israel should be doing while they themselves do & act anyway they please. Look no further then my own country, the US who goes around the world invading other countries, sending troops into half of the Middle East & so on...Jjst saying maybe all of these countries need to worry about their own countries before they decie how Israel should be fixed....

watford31 in reply to Mr Real

I recived this in a newsletter recently so I treat the numbers as approximate but the message is there:

Conflicts and Fatalities in True Prospective!

In Arab-Israeli conflicts since 1950 there have been 51,000 fatalities - include 32,000 deaths due to Arab state attacks and 19,000 due to so-called Palestinian attacks. Arabs make up approximately 35,000 of these dead and Jewish Israelis make up 16,000.

Over 50% of all UN resolutions are dedicated to Arab-Israel conflicts, mainly condemning Israel!

There have been other conflicts since 1950 with the number of people killed listed below:

40,000,000 Red China, 1949-76
10,000,000 Soviet Bloc: late Stalinism, 1950-53
4,000,000 Ethiopia, 1962-92
1,800,000 Afghanistan: Soviet and Taliban 1980-2001
1,250,000 West Pakistan massacres in East Pakistan (Bangladesh 1971)
1,100,000 Mozambique, 1964-70 (30,000) & after retreat of Portugal 1976-92
1,000,000 Iran-Iraq-War, 1980-88
900,000 Rwanda genocide, 1994
580,000 Angola: war against Portugal 1961-72 (80,000) and after Portugal's retreat 1972-2002
500,000 Brazil against its Indians, up to 1999
400,000 Burundi, 1959-present (Tutsi/Hutu)
400,000 Somalia, 1991-present
400,000 North Korea up to 2006 (own people)
300,000 Kurds in Iraq, Iran, Turkey, 1980s-1990s
300,000 Iraq, 1970-2003 (Saddam against minorities)
140,000 Russia against Chechnya, 1994-present
50,000 Tajikistan, 1992-96 (secularists against Islamists)
26,000 India, Kashmir independence, 1989-present
25,000 Jordan vs. Palestinians, 1970-71 (Black September)

Truly Yours

"Religious hawks" are oxymoronic, no matter from which of Abraham's warring lineages they hail. The continuing sectarian bloodshed and brutal apartheid in the Middle East has no basis in true religious sentiment. The roots of this moral decadence are rabid nationalism, lust for power and money, and the inhumane subjugation of the population by venal politicians masquerading as protectors of their warring sects.
Human beings can only coexist peacefully on Earth when fundamental human rights are honored and special privileges promised in the scriptures of a "chosen people" are not wielded to disenfranchise, brutalize, and murder those who subscribe to different truths.


Israelis have voted for the status quo. Lapid has taken the role of Tzipi Livni as "middle of the road" candidate that will ensure that nothing changes. Unsettled (how ironic) by the right's increasingly irredentist positions that would have put the country at loggerheads with the rest of the world (maybe even the US), and distrustful of a pseudo-left that might (just might) have actually agreed to end Jewish privilege over at least part of Historical Palestine, Israeli Jews have chosen a candidate that will say yes to the two-state solution and to negotiations, but who will probably do nothing to end occupation and the conflict. After all, Lapid publicly said that "there is no map on which Ariel [big illegal settlement deep in the West Bank] isn't a part of the state of Israel", and that "Jerusalem will be united forever", non-starters that reassured Israelis that negotiations would get nowhere, as they prefer.

Here s a good article summing it up:



It is bizarre that Iran figured so little in the election. It is almost inconceivable that at the time of the greatest threat facing this country most Israelis are either ignorant of its nature and magnitude or refuse to believe it. Here are two more sober (Israeli) opinions:
Into the Fray: Be afraid, very afraid By Martin Sherman

Mladen_Andrijasevic in reply to F R O Y

Shrill hype from the rightist hawks? Here is an assessment from Matthias Kuntzel - Antisemitism, Messianism and the Cult of Sacrifice:The Iranian Holy War, and he is "a scholar with roots in the West European left":
“The theme of intellectual betrayal and the corrupting influence of political commitment” – to quote the British historian Elie Kedourie, is not my topic tonight. I would nonetheless like to stress that I, as a scholar with roots in the West European left, am not prepared to submit to any kind of politically motivated censorship. In my opinion, those who want to find rational grounds for criticising the political approach adopted by world leaders towards Iran must first adequately analyse the object in question, which presupposes an unflinching gaze.

Iran's vision is to have Jerusalem back in Muslim hands, and they wish to see the Israeli government replaced with a Palestinian one. Any nuclear attack on Israel by Iran, as hyped up and lied about as it is by the pro-Zionist media, would destroy their holy land rather than transfer its control.

I know exactly what war is like, having served in combat during the first Gulf War. However, these smears against Iran by the Zionist groups is just their attempt at getting more Americans to go out on the battlefield and attack a quickly rising and primarily secular, educated nation to benefit Israeli hegemony in the region.

Any change within Iran must come from the inside. Any attempt to topple the Iranian regime will only recreate the catastrophe we created in Iraq. A safe heaven for terrorists where the rule of law only applies in areas where American solders actively patrol and risk their life.

You have internal economic problems because you are too fixed and focused on strengthening your enemies who want to kill you. This distinct lack of self esteem in Israel is incredibly nuts, if you cannot hold your state then you do not deserve to keep it. So those on the left actually WANT TO LIVE UNDER ISLAMIC LAW??? if that be the case why not simply move to Jordan or Egypt, instead of trying to enforce the rest of Israel to jump in their coffins with you.
Your rhetoric and blah blah is seriously ungrateful to those who gave their precious blood in the past to give you lot the inheritance you have today and now you want to trash all that and give the place back to be governed by islam!!! Go ask the women and children what its like to live in Iran. Your reasonings are seriously flawed and will not succeed for long, you have been connded by your frustrated lefty lecturers who have filled your vessels with nothing but useless delusions in their eternal struggle and war against their creator.

I'm not Israeli, mate, and I'm not as fond as you of collective psychoanalysis, but I would concur with you about the "distinct lack of self esteem" part, though I would say that tends to be more of a trait of the paranoid nationalist right than from the left. Insecurity and lack of self esteem can lead to defensive attitudes expressed in the form of prejudice, intolerance and bigotry. That could explain some people's support for a system that keeps four million people deprived of basic rights under brutal military rule, and for a country's aggressive policies towards its neighbors.

Your extreme bias and hatred for the Jews makes you irrational in your arguments and views. Together with the fact you are seriously confused by calling what is good evil and what is evil good. The only criminal behavior you could possibly be referring to is what is going on in mali and bombing of Americans in lybia, all that is openly displayed in any land governed by islamic law. Or that of the communists, fascists, nazis and now socialists like your defence.

Israel does not engage in criminal behavior but it seems your arguments do against it.


Israeli voters have no doubt shown courage by returning 19 members of Mr.Lapid's new party to the parliament.This is a good start for those who want to see real peace returns to the region.May be,he next general election will eliminate the warmongers entirely from the Israeli political scene.


Could please the journalist correct a mistake ?
Yisrael Beiteinu means "Israel Our Home" and is lead by Lieberman. And not Habayet Hayehudi (The Jewish Home)who is lead by Bennett. I guess the author was talking about Habayet Hayehudi since he is speaking about Bennett.


Hasten to correct AussieBrit's claim that Palestinians were offered a state on West Bank and East Jerusalem -- not true (but oft/repeatedly claimed).
Negotiations were productive at Taba but the Israeli election just after, withdrew Barak's comments/concessions/agreements.
Even Arafat, decades before 2002 when the Arab League (26 nations) did, said they'd recognize the State of Israel (78% of Palestine rather than the ~55% stipulated by UN). A state shrunk to 22% is a notable compromise.
Once that done, however, Israel changed its demand adding that recognition is not enough, it must be recognized as a Jewish state. As you wd realize, a big nut to swallow after giving up about half its territory......
Perhaps with the centre's influence increased in this election along with Obama's reelection, there's a chance of something fairer........
A hawk with wings clipped will still overpower a bound pigeon.

Cosimo Rondo

A recent poll by the Dahaf Institute and Smith Consulting showed that two-third of Israeli support a two-state solution. The result of Tuesay's Israeli election showed that the electorate, frustrated with Arab Palestinian intransigence vis-a-vis a peace deal, put a greater emphasis on the economy and national service rather than on negotiations -- hence, Hatnua (Tzipi Livni's party) and Meretz each garnering only 6 seats respectively.

Yair Lapid's centrist Party, Yesh Atid, with 19 seats came in second. Mr Lapid supports retention of major settlement blocs and the indivisibilty of Jerusalem where Jews have constituted a majority since the early 1800s.

(Note to The Economist: Prime Minister Netanyahu has moved to the center. The hawk label is a bit out of touch with reality.)


Dear Economist,
There's a mistake in the seats division of 2009. Likud had 27 not 25 and Yisrael Beyteno had 15 and not 17.
Please correct it.


I find it endlessly frustrating that the Economist pretends that the peace process is som kind of echo chamber where 'if only' the Israelis did x or y or a governmnt of such kind came in - there would be a peace deal tomorrow. Left wing governments have tried offered a Palestinian state on the West Bank and even with east jerusalem to the Palestinians only to be rebuffed. And therin lies the reason the peace process was absent from the election rhetoric this time round.

The average Israeli believes in a 2 state solution and wants one (hence the voting for Lapid over Bennett) but they also know not even a Meretz-led (far left) government could sign a deal with the Palestinians when the core issue of recognition of a Jewish state is absent and the main activities of the PA seem to be attempting to de-legitimise Israel in any International forum and reconcile with Hamas, an iranian-backed terrorist proxy group sworn to Israel (and the jews's) destruction.

Lapid said in a speech to an English audience, that everyone knows the broad outlines of a peace deal. The average Israeli knows it's not Israeli leadership holding up a deal either - which is why the voted for a party far more focussed on domstic issues. At least in that sphere, finally we can make a change!

FFlump in reply to AussieBrit

How fortunate for Israel that it can afford to ignore the occupation of Palestine.

"You must not sit in your snug home,
and say: That's sad, poor people!
You must not endure so very well,
the injustice that does not affect yourself!
I cry with the final gasps of my breath:
you are not allowed to forget! "

- Arnulf Øverland

Simon Lamb

Can anyone explain why Israel has a PR system that creates such a fragmented outcome?

F R O Y in reply to Simon Lamb

Single constituency and low threshold. Seats in the Knesset are allocated according to the proportion of votes in the whole country. Regions do not have a determinate number of seats allocated, like in most other countries. The threshold to get into the Knesset is just 2%. All this favors political fragmentation instead of the usual bipartisanship.


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