Israel - News Archive

Israel (January 22, 2013)

Posted: 01/22/2013
Israeli citizens voted on January 22 to elect 120 members in early elections to the Knesset. With all votes having been counted, 12 parties have gained seats in the new Knesset. The Likud-Yisrael Beiteinu Bloc, led by Benjamin NETANYAHU gained the most votes in the election with 884,625 votes (23.32 percent), gaining 31 seats in the new Knesset. President Shimon PERES has selected NETANYAHU to continue as Prime Minister, and to build a coalition government. Yesh Atid, led by Israeli TV presenter Yair LAPID came in second with 14.32 percent (543,222 votes and 19 seats), with the Labor Party led by Shelly YACHIMOVICH finishing third with 11.39 percent (432,083 votes and 15 seats). 32 parties, coalitions, blocs, and lists participated in the election. The Knesset elections had a high turnout, with 67.79 percent (3,834,136 voters) of eligible voters casting their ballots. The results of the election show a dramatic drop in support for the combined ticket of Likud and the ultranationalist Yisrael Beiteinu bloc, who lost a quarter of its seats in Parliament. The new centrist party Yesh Atid, saw a dramatic upswing in support, far surpassing pre-election polling. Yesh Atid, despite political differences with Likud-Yisrael Beiteinu has indicated that it will not seek to construct a bloc in government to prevent NETANYAHU from forming a government.

Source: ElectionGuide

Israel (January/February 2013)

Posted: 10/11/2012
On Tuesday Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin NETANYAHU announced early parliamentary elections to take place in January /February 2013. NETANYAHU, leader of the right-wing Likud Party, has cited parliament’s inability to agree on a budget by the December 31, 2012 deadline as the main reason for these elections, which are approximately eight months ahead of schedule. Recent opinion polls suggest that the Prime Minister will most likely be re-elected by having a parliamentary majority. The Israeli parliament (Knesset) has a total of 120 seats, and NETANYAHU’s Likud party occupies 28. Yet it exercises a majority when combined with the party’s traditional allies like the nationalist and Jewish parties. Analysts contend that in the 2013 elections, the Likud and its allies could collectively gain a majority of 62-68 seats in parliament. 

Source: ElectionGuide

Ultra-Orthodox party joins Netanyahu's coalition

Posted: 03/23/2009
JERUSALEM (AP) -- Incoming Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu brought a nationalist religious party into what is shaping up to be a narrow, hawkish coalition, taking a major step Monday toward securing the parliament majority he needs to form the government....

Read full story. Source: AP Top International News

Netanyahu requests more time to form government

Posted: 03/20/2009
JERUSALEM (AP) -- Israeli prime minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu asked for two more weeks to form a new government Friday as he tries to broaden his support by persuading moderates to join....

Read full story. Source: AP Top International News

Israel's Netanyahu gets more time

Posted: 03/20/2009
Benjamin Netanyahu, the man expected to be Israel's next prime minister, is given another two weeks to form a government.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition

Progress lags in a meeting between leaders in Israel

Posted: 02/24/2009
A meeting on Sunday between Benjamin Netanyahu and Tzipi Livni ended without agreement on forming a coalition government.

Read full story. Source: Africa & Middle East - International Herald Tribune

Israel rivals agree to more talks

Posted: 02/22/2009
Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu and Tzipi Livni of rival party Kadima agree to hold more talks on forming Israel's next government.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition

Netanyahu to form Israel cabinet

Posted: 02/20/2009
President Shimon Peres asks right-wing Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu to form Israel's next government.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition

Likud Party to Lead New Israeli Government

Posted: 02/20/2009
Israeli President Shimon PERES has officially invited Likud Party leader Benjamin NETANYAHU to form a new government. While Likud came in second to the ruling Kadima Party, which beat Likud by a single seat in the February 10 parliamentary election, neither party won the absolute majority of seats necessary to govern alone in the 120-seat Knesset. Likud, however, led a block of conservative parties that won 65 seats collectively – just enough to form a coalition government. While Likud and its allies won sufficient seats to govern without Kadima, PERES met separately with both NETANYAHU and Kadima Party leader Tzipi LIVNI prior to his announcement to urge the two to form a unity government, though LIVNI has publicly rejected such a possibility. According to Israeli law, NETANYAHU, who served as Israel's Prime Minister from 1996-1999, now has six weeks to assemble a government. If he is unable to do so in the time allotted, PERES will invite another party leader to form a government.

Source: ElectionGuide

Netanyahu gets backing from head of far-right party

Posted: 02/19/2009
Netanyahu, the leader of the conservative Likud Party, won a conditional endorsement on Thursday from Avigdor Lieberman, the head of a far-right party that could hold the balance of power.

Read full story. Source: Africa & Middle East - International Herald Tribune

Final results of Israeli election announced

Posted: 02/13/2009
The Kadima Party kept its slight lead over the Likud Party, but the hard-line bloc in the new Parliament will have the power to stymie Mideast peace efforts.

Read full story. Source: Africa & Middle East - International Herald Tribune

Results confirm Israeli deadlock

Posted: 02/12/2009
The final results of Israel's election confirm that neither of the two main parties can form a government on its own.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | Middle East | World Edition

Final Israel election tally to be announced

Posted: 02/12/2009
JERUSALEM: Israeli election officials were tallying soldiers' votes Thursday before announcing the final results of an inconclusive parliamentary election whose outcome will decide the direction of Mideast peacemaking.

Source: ElectionGuide

Moderate Kadima Eeks Narrow Victory in Israeli Election

Posted: 02/12/2009
Israel's ruling moderate Kadima party won Tuesday's general election in which it captured 28 seats in the Knesset, one seat more than its rival the conservative Likud party, but short of the 61-seat majority needed to govern alone. Likud won 27 seats and heads a bloc of right-wing parties that won a total 65 seats, enough to form a governing coalition in the 120-seat Knesset. However, each of parties in the Likud-headed bloc has its own agenda, meaning that a Likud-led coalition is still far from a done deal.  Consequently, both Kadima Chairwoman Tzipi LIVNI and Likud Chairman Benjamin NETANYAHU claimed victory on election night and immediately began a fierce battle to woo perspective coalition partners. Next Wednesday, Israeli President Shimon PERES is expected to invite the party he feels is best able to lead a stable coalition to form a government. Unless LIVNI can woo the right-wing nationalist Yisrael Beiteinu party to defect from the Likud-led bloc to join a Kadima-led coalition, analysts expect PERES will invite Likud to form a government.

Source: ElectionGuide

Rival parties in Israel each claim the right to lead

Posted: 02/11/2009
Israel's centrist Kadima party, led by Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, and the more conservative Likud party, led by Benjamin Netanyahu, were locked in a tight battle for leadership on Wednesday that left unclear the shape of the next Israeli government.

Read full story. Source: Africa & Middle East - International Herald Tribune

Israeli press bemoans political stalemate

Posted: 02/11/2009
Israeli papers agonise over the inconclusive results of Tuesday's parliamentary elections.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | Middle East | World Edition

Israel rivals vie to head cabinet

Posted: 02/11/2009
Israel's two main parties seek partners to form a government after neither emerges a clear winner in the election.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | Middle East | World Edition

FACTBOX - Israeli electoral procedures

Posted: 02/11/2009
(Reuters) - Following were voting statistics and procedures for Israel's February 10 election, in which the 120 seats in the single-chamber parliament are allocated by proportional representation to national party lists of candidates.

Source: ElectionGuide

Q&A: Who is running Israel?

Posted: 02/11/2009
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel's parliamentary election looks likely to leave an inconclusive outcome when counting of votes cast on Tuesday is completed on Thursday, making it unclear who will succeed Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

Source: ElectionGuide

Instant news and analysis as the Israeli general election 2009 unfolds

Posted: 02/10/2009
Live coverage of the first day of the Israeli general election.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | Middle East | World Edition

Israelis await election outcome

Posted: 02/10/2009
Counting is under way in Israel's general election, with exit polls suggesting a narrow lead for the ruling Kadima party.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | Middle East | World Edition

Turnout up amid tight Israel race

Posted: 02/10/2009
Despite bad weather, early turnout in Israel's tightly contested general election is higher than the last vote in 2006.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | Middle East | World Edition

Dispirited Israelis head for the voting booth

Posted: 02/09/2009
As Israelis trudge once again to the polling stations Tuesday to elect a new government for the fifth time in a decade, many of them may still be asking themselves who they are going to vote for, and why.

Read full story. Source: Africa & Middle East - International Herald Tribune

The issues: Where the candidates stand

Posted: 02/09/2009
The BBC News website outlines the positions on key issues of the leading candidates for prime minister in Israel's 10 February elections.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | Middle East | World Edition

As Israelis Head to Polls, the Question Is 'What For?'

Posted: 02/06/2009
JERUSALEM — As the Israelis trudge once again to the polling stations on Tuesday to elect a new government for the fifth time in a decade, many of them may still be asking themselves who they are going to vote for, and why.

Source: ElectionGuide

Profiles of Israeli Election Candidates

Posted: 02/06/2009
Benjamin Netanyahu, Tzipi Livni, Avigdor Lieberman and Ehud Barak are the four main candidates battling it out in Israel's election on Tuesday.

Source: ElectionGuide

Hardline Populist Lieberman Could be Surprise Kingmaker in Israeli Election

Posted: 02/05/2009
Avigdor Lieberman, former nightclub bouncer, rises to third in polls.

Source: ElectionGuide

From Gaza to Jerusalem: The Impact of War on the Israeli Election

Posted: 02/03/2009
Peter Beaumont finds Israel's peace movement being pushed to the margins like never before as the country prepares to vote.

Source: ElectionGuide

Another Israeli Election Down to the Wire

Posted: 02/03/2009
On February 10, Israelis will go to the polls to choose a new government, and the election campaigning -- curtailed by Israel's military operation in the Gaza Strip -- has resumed in earnest. The abbreviated campaign may explain why an estimated 30 percent of Israelis are undecided, a very high figure for a country that prides itself on political awareness. Although Likud leader Binyamin Netanyahu maintains a steady lead, he cannot be certain of victory, given the high undecided figure, and foreign minister and Kadima party head Tzipi Livni could still eke out a win.

Source: ElectionGuide

Israel's Key Election Issue: Did War End Too Soon?

Posted: 02/02/2009
JERUSALEM, Feb. 1 -- Just over a week before Israel holds elections to choose a new government, the outcome of the war in the Gaza Strip has emerged as a central issue in the campaign, with the candidates sparring over whether the massive military operation went far enough.

Source: ElectionGuide

Hawkish sentiment on Gaza grows in Israel

Posted: 01/26/2009
Only two weeks before elections, there appears to have been a shift further to the right, reflecting a feeling among many voters that an even tougher approach may now be required toward Hamas.

Read full story. Source: Africa & Middle East - International Herald Tribune

Analysis: How the Election Played Into Operation Cast Lead

Posted: 01/26/2009
One lesson that democracies have learned in modern warfare is the critical role of domestic support for war. In both the 1982 and 2006 Lebanon wars, Israeli public opinion rallied behind the war at the outset, but then became critical of the political leadership's management of the war. In light of these experiences one would have expected hesitation on the part of Israel's leadership in entering a military operation in the Gaza Strip. Surprisingly, the Israeli media were, for the most part, supportive of the IDF offensive in the Gaza Strip. Moreover, most of the Israeli political Left supported the war too; those leftists who did not were largely ignored by the public.

Source: ElectionGuide

Israel Disqualifies Two Arab Parties from February General Election

Posted: 01/14/2009
Israel's Central Elections Committee (CEC) announced on Monday that it had disqualified two Arab political parties from competing in the upcoming February 10 parliamentary elections.

Source: ElectionGuide

Legal analysis / Proof is required

Posted: 01/14/2009
The decision of the Central Election Committee to disqualify the United Arab List-Ta'al and Balad from running for the Knesset is based mainly on an amendment to the Basic Law on the Knesset from May 2002. The law indicates that tangible evidence is needed to prove the support of and identification with the armed struggle against Israel.

Source: ElectionGuide

Israel disqualifies Arab parties

Posted: 01/12/2009
Israel's election authorities ban two of the three main Arab political parties from running in next month's general elections.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | Middle East | World Edition

The Political Impact of Israel's Gaza Operation

Posted: 01/12/2009
According to several American experts on Arab politics, while Israel might very well succeed -- at least temporarily -- in depleting Hamas' military wing, so long as Hamas is still in a position to reassert its control over Gaza following the operation the conflict is likely to have the opposite impact politically.

Source: ElectionGuide

Israel to Hold Early Parliamentary Elections on February 10, 2009

Posted: 10/30/2008
The speaker of Israel's Knesset announced that the country would hold early parliamentary elections on February 10, 2009. Elections had previously been expected in late 2010. However, Foreign Minister Tzipi LIVNI's failure to form a governing coalition in the wake of former Prime Minister Ehud OLMERT's resignation made it necessary to call elections more than a year early. LIVNI was recently elected leader of the ruling Kadima party and polls show her currently in a statistical dead heat with her primary rival, former Prime Minister Benjamin NETANYAHU of the far right Likud party. 

Source: ElectionGuide

Livni begins new government talks

Posted: 09/18/2008
Tzipi Livni begins putting together a new government after being elected leader of Israel's ruling Kadima party.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition

Netanyahu calls for early Israeli elections

Posted: 07/31/2008
A day after Prime Minister Ehud Olmert announced he would depart political life, Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Israel should get rid of its current governing coalition and go straight to early elections.

Read full story. Source: Africa & Middle East - International Herald Tribune

Olmert to quit after elections in September

Posted: 07/30/2008
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of Israel, embroiled in a high-profile corruption investigation, announced that he would resign his office as soon as his party chose a new leader in September.

Read full story. Source: Africa & Middle East - International Herald Tribune

Israeli president Katsav resigns

Posted: 06/29/2007
Israeli President Moshe Katsav resigns a day after agreeing to plead guilty to several sexual offences.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition

Israel to elect new Labour leader

Posted: 06/12/2007
Israel's Labour Party votes to elect a new leader, with the outcome expected to alter the national political scene.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition

Peres to run for Israel president

Posted: 05/30/2007
Veteran Israeli politician Shimon Peres formally announces he will stand in June's presidential election.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition

Barak in runoff to lead Israel's Labour Party

Posted: 05/29/2007
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Former Prime Minister Ehud Barak won on Tuesday the first round of the Israeli Labour Party's leadership election and will face an ex-security chief in a runoff vote next month, official results showed.

Read full story. Source: Reuters: International

Israel cabinet in emergency talks

Posted: 05/02/2007
Israel's cabinet discusses the highly critical Lebanon war report as pressure on Ehud Olmert to resign grows.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition

Israeli president to leave post

Posted: 01/24/2007
Israel's president asks the parliament speaker for leave of absence, amid moves to charge him with rape.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | Middle East | World Edition

Israeli president taking leave of absence: reports

Posted: 01/24/2007
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli President Moshe Katsav informed parliament on Wednesday he was taking a leave of absence after prosecutors announced they intended to charge him with rape and other sexual offences, Israeli media said.

Read full story. Source: Reuters: International

Katsav rejects suspension calls

Posted: 10/29/2006
Israel's President Katsav rejects suspension calls, saying he is innocent of all charges against him.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition

Israel's new government prepares to take office

Posted: 05/01/2006
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel's new government will take office on Thursday after Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert formed a coalition to carry out his plan to redraw Jewish settlement lines in the occupied West Bank.

Read full story. Source: Reuters: International

Israel's parliament is sworn in

Posted: 04/17/2006
Israel's parliament is sworn in following last month's general elections.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | Middle East | World Edition

Israel parliament to be sworn in

Posted: 04/16/2006
Israel's new parliament is to be sworn in later on Monday following last month's elections.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition

Israeli cabinet ends Sharon rule

Posted: 04/11/2006
Israel's cabinet declares Ariel Sharon permanently incapacitated, formally ending his premiership.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition

Coalition talks begin in Israel

Posted: 04/09/2006
Israel's political parties start talks to put together a coalition government, following March's election.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition

Olmert gets official nod to form Israeli government

Posted: 04/06/2006
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Interim Prime Minister Ehud Olmert received the formal nod on Thursday to form a government, which he pledged would set Israel's permanent borders within four years with or without Palestinian agreement.

Read full story. Source: Reuters: International

Israel announces preliminary results of the March 2006 Knesset election

Posted: 03/29/2006
Results of the March 28 parliamentary elections reported by the local media one day after the polls gave the Kadima Party 28 seats in the next Knesset and placed the Labor party second with 20 seats, one more since the last election. The ultra-orthodox Shas party came in third with 13 seats, while the extreme-right Yisrael Beitenu quadrupled its representation, winning 12 seats. The former ruling Likud party of ex-Prime Minister Benjamin Netenyahu suffered a crushing defeat obtaining only 11 seats, a lost of 27 since the last election. The National Union obtained 9 seats while the Pensioner Party gained 7, all new seats. The Shinui, which won 15 seats in the last election, failed to make it to parliament this time. Other winning parties include United Torah Judaism, Meretz-Yachad, United Arab List, Hadash, and Azmi Bishara’s Balad.

Source: ElectionGuide

Israelis vote for new parliament

Posted: 03/28/2006
Israelis vote for a new parliament with polls showing the new Kadima party holding an edge over tradition power holders Labour and Likud. Meanwhile Palestinian militants in Gaza fire a rocket into southern Israel, killing two people in a kibbutz, the Israel Defense Forces say.

Read full story. Source: CNN.com - WORLD

Israel's Attorney General Says General Elections Should be Held Earlier

Posted: 03/02/2004
On March 1, Attorney General Meni MAZUZ issued an opinion stating that general elections should be held in November 2006, one year earlier than the scheduled date. According to MAZUZ’s report, early polls are necessitated by alterations in the constitution in 1999 that generated a shortened term for Israel’s current parliament. Supreme Court Judge Dalia DORNER met with parliamentary and party advisers to determine if it is necessary to dissolve the 120-seat parliament and call for fresh elections.  A decision will made by mid-week.

Source: ElectionGuide

Israeli Supreme Court Overturns Ban Against two Arab Legislators

Posted: 01/13/2003
The Supreme Court of Israel overturned a ban against two Arab legislators seeking re-election for the Knesset on January 9.?? The Court overturned a ban against the participation of parliamentary candidates Ahmed TIBI and Azmi BISHARA? that was levied by the Central Election Commission.

Source: ElectionGuide

Decrease in Support for Israel's Likud Party

Posted: 01/13/2003
With the elections approximately two weeks away, Prime Minister Ariel SHARON and the Likud Party faced a decrease in support in their election campaign due to charges of bribery and fraud. The latest polls show that the Likud Party and its allies may secure about  61 seats within the Knesset, while the Labor Party and its allies may secure up to 40 seats after the elections. General elections in Israel are slated for January 28.

Source: ElectionGuide

Israel's LP Likely to Choose Former General to Respresent Party

Posted: 11/19/2002
With parliamentary elections scheduled for early next year, Israel’s Labor Party is scheduled to hold an election to select a candidate who will represent the party against Prime Minister Sharon’s Likud Party. According to recent polls, former general Amram Mitzna is most likely chosen to represent the party in January. Meanwhile, Sharon has the lead in terms of candidacy of the Likud party over Netanyahu. Both parties will have the results on November 20th at midnight, allowing the winning candidates to begin their campaigns prior to the January 28th poll date.

Source: ElectionGuide

Israel Announces General Election Date of January 28

Posted: 11/12/2002
Parliamentary committees announced on November 12th that Israel will hold its general elections on January 28th.  The announcement was made in response to Prime Minister Sharon's dissolving of parliament on November 5.  Based on public polls,  Sharon's Likud party might actually secure more seats in the general elections while the Labor Party might lose some of their current seats in parliament. Both parties will hold nomination elections on November 19-28 to determine which candidates will represent them.

Source: ElectionGuide

Israeli PM Dissolves Parliament and Calls for Emergency Elections

Posted: 11/05/2002
On November 5th, Prime Minister Sharon dissolved parliament and called for emergency elections.  This announcement was made after the governing coalition collapsed last week due to disputes over funding settlements on the West Bank.  Under Israeli electoral law, elections must be called within 90 days, scheduling the country to vote by February 4, 2003 rather than the October 2003.

Source: ElectionGuide

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