Netanyahu surprise gives Israel grand coalition

Reuters ^ | 5/8/12 | Allyn Fisher-Ilan

[Evil Slayer]

Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu formed a unity government on Tuesday in a surprise move that could give him a freer hand to attack Iran's nuclear facilities and seek peace with the Palestinians.

The coalition deal, negotiated secretly over the past days and sealed at a private meeting overnight, means the centrist Kadima party will hook up with Netanyahu's rightist coalition, creating a majority of 94 of parliament's 120 legislators.

The coalition, which replaces plans announced just two days earlier for a snap election in September, will be one of the biggest in Israeli history.

"This government is good for security, good for the economy and good for the people of Israel," Netanyahu told a joint news conference with Kadima's leader, Shaul Mofaz.

The new coalition would focus on sharing out the duty of military conscription among all Israelis, redrawing the national budget and advancing electoral reform, he said.

Ultra-Orthodox parties in the coalition had opposed plans to extend conscription to their supporters, who are now exempt.

"Lastly it is to try to advance a responsible peace process ... Not all has been agreed but we have a very strong basis for continued action," the prime minister said, adding that he hoped the Palestinians would "spot the opportunity and come sit with us for serious negotiations".

"Of course one of the important issues is Iran," Netanyahu added in response to a question.

Environment Minister Gilad Erdan said the accord would help build support for potential action against Iran's atomic program, which Israel views as an existential threat.

"An election wouldn't stop Iran's nuclear program. When a decision is taken to attack or not, it is better to have a broad political front, that unites the public," he told Israel Radio.

A spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas

[fishtank]

“Ultra-Orthodox parties in the coalition had opposed plans to extend conscription to their supporters, who are now exempt.”

I never could understand how they let this exemption go on for such a long time......

[GraceG]

And he will NEED it should Obama get a second term.

[Arthurio]

No party has has ever achieved a majority, and the orthodox parties always end up playing the kingmaker role.

[tet68]

When a decision is taken to attack or not, it is better to have a broad political front, that unites the public,” he told Israel Radio.

So decision time is coming up.

[Evil Slayer]

....give him a freer hand to attack Iran's nuclear facilities....

Key words in this article!! AND, I will add, BEFORE our election!!!

[RightOnTheBorder]

Bibi wants to hit Iran during our election season when Obama can’t work against him for fear of losing the Jewish vote in Florida.

Personally, I think Obama is enough of an idealogue to subvert Isreal despite the political ramifications.

[SJackson]

Middle East and terrorism, occasional political and Jewish issues Ping List. High Volume

If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.

..................

[Eleutheria5]

Yisrael Beteinu and Ihud should have walked out of the coalition when it meant something. Let me guess: Who’s STILL Minister of Defense?

PS: Kadima “centrist,” my ass.

[rmlew]

Yisrael Beitenu's psotions are not that different from Likud. In theory, Kadima, Likud, and Yisrael Beitenu are all Revisionist and General Zionists. Kadima was the left wing of Likud under Sharon, Olmert, and Livni. Mofaz ran for Likud leadership before joining Kadima. Yisrael Beitenu members are basically right-leaning Likudniks, who speak Russian. The outliers are the Herut faction of Yichud Leumi/National Union. In a sense, one could argue that with 71 seats from nominal Revisionist parties, Ze'ev Jabotisnky (or at least Eri) would have been happy. Of course BenZion Netanyahu would have disagreed, but he died 2 weeks ago.

Barak is staying on so I guess Ha'atzmaut/Independence is in too. It's a National Unity government without Labour. They must be pissed.

[Seeing More Clearly Now]

“Ultra-Orthodox parties in the coalition had opposed plans to extend conscription to their supporters, who are now exempt.”

I never could understand how they let this exemption go on for such a long time......”

Another way to look at it is that the ultra-orthodox are the army of God. The God of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps.

[Eleutheria5]

That all would work fine, if all politics were about is leaning this way or that. But the only questions that interest me are will they be tearing down anymore outposts in the near future or not? Ihud Leumi and Yisrael Betenu had promised to walk out of the government and force elections if they did, and now Bibi no longer needs them to keep his ruling coalition intact, because he has Kadima, presently headed by a man who has announced that he wants to give back 100% of Judah and Samaria (with some land swaps) for the sake of this mythical piece process. In short, they will be tearing down more outposts. Ihud Leumi had my respect. Katzele and others were going into Bedouin camps with or without police protection to recover lost livestock for farmers. But they wouldn’t leave the government to protect threatened homes. Now they’re irrelevant. What would Jabotinsky think of this?

[Eleutheria5]

Starting an attack before US elections is shrewd. But this is all-out war we’re speaking of. It is likely to continue throughout the election, and present plenty of political targets of opportunity for Obama and pals. War with Iran might very well turn out to be a fool’s errand, and be sufficiently disruptive of the world economy to justify Obama outright turning on Israel. He might lose Florida, but win big in the other swing states, since he can scapegoat the Jooos! with impunity in Ohio, Pennsylvania, etc., if the mood of the country is with him.