Israel General Election Thread: March 17 2015

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Polling shows Herzog with a lead entering the polling blackout.  I hope that Herzog is able to pull together a coalition after all is said and done after March 17 - Bibi is a dangerous man and needs to get voted out.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Word is, prepare for heavy turnout. The official election website has crashed (see, Bibi can't even make a silly website!)

Arabs must vote in large numbers.  The more Arabs vote the less seats are won by Likud.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

More likely young people are voting in higher numbers this year. This can be either good (if they're form Tel Aviv) or bad (virtually anywhere else).

That will help too - it's important that anyone who opposes Bibi's brinkmanship to vote.  I don't like Herzog that much but he's promised to reopen talks with Palestinians - and the incumbent just said that he won't allow an independent Palestinian state.  I have no choice but to support Herzog as the only viable non-Netanyahu candidate for PM.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

"There will be no unity government with the left led by Labor" - Benyamin Netanyahu
http://www.haaretz.com/news/israel-election-2015/.premium-1.647304
Following this live blog.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

And now Likud is basically implying the liberal parties are bussing in Arabs and buying votes.

This is disgusting. Even conservative Israelis should be appalled by how Bibi has Americanized their electoral process.

You know what?  Bibi is afraid of Arabs voting, because he doesn't want the substantial Arab minority with even the tiniest amount of power.  Doesn't that sound familiar?

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Number-based rumours starting to circulate: suggestions of squeeze in favour of the big parties.

No idea of accuracy.

Squeeze in favor or two biggest parties - A la Holland 2010?

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Number-based rumours starting to circulate: suggestions of squeeze in favour of the big parties.

No idea of accuracy.

Squeeze in favor or two biggest parties - A la Holland 2010?

Or Israel 2009. And yes those are indeed the rumours.

Sorry, Holland 2012.  I was mixing up elections.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Yachad out?  If this is true, good news.  That hurts Bibi's chances of winning.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

If the Joint Arab List gets third place when all is said and done, the Arabs who voted should be proud of themselves.  Though I have no problem with them being fourth.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Hmm...Likud getting to the 30th seat?  Herzog's chances sink by the day.  ZU+JL+YA+Meretz total just 53 seats, and Bibi is 6 more mandates closer to the finish line.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Indeed...I should have said Herzog conceding ended any question of who gets to be PM.  My mistake.