In 1996, Israel’s then-Prime Minister Simon Peres appeared to be on his way to victory in parliamentary elections that would keep him and his center-left Labor Party in power. On the key issue of peace, he had pledged to provide West Bank and Gaza Strip territory to the Palestinians for a sovereign state. The “land […]

The post Netanyahu hopes voters forget October 7, 2023 appeared first on Asia Times.

The PM has a well-worn playbook: brand his opponents as left-wing, then warn that Israel is in danger, and only he can keep it safe. They haven't figured out how to respond

The PM is disseminating Iranian-style propaganda showing Tel Aviv under a mushroom cloud, and reportedly pressing his IDF chief to act 'relating to Iran' and potentially trigger a 'miscalculation'

We look at what’s at stake in tomorrow’s elections.

© Jack Guez/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images; Pool photo by Ronen Zvulun

Ofer Winter's rabbi stands by his People of Israel party, hopes it passes threshold; UTJ holds mass rally, urges voters to turn out to prevent draft dodger arrests

PM contradicts his own recent claims that Iran's nuclear program has been 'devastated' and Tehran can no longer threaten Israel's existence; Eisenkot: He's hysterical; Golan: He's lost it

Yashar party urges Central Elections Committee, AG to nix it over worries that pols were preparing to challenge vote results; CEC okays, but says elections must be off agenda

Security agency to oversee protection for Yashar leader Eisenkot, Democrats chief Golan, and People of Israel party head Ofer Winter; man attacks Bennett's entourage in Tel Aviv

Israelis will decide this week if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will remain in office.

© Ahmad Gharabli/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Opposition leaders join Tel Aviv protest as voters prepare to head to polls; father of murdered hostage says leaders are not investigating because they have 'something to hide'

Central bank says digital currency can't be used for such purposes, stresses need to preserve economic ties; Eisenkot tears into PM for 'dismantling Israeli economy'

Organizers, including survivors, former hostages and bereaved families, demand independent Oct. 7 probe, warn police of pro-government elements seeking to disrupt protest

Some voters in traditionally pro-Likud Kiryat Shmona quietly question loyalty amid frustration over the government’s handling of the war with Hezbollah, broken security promises

There’s already violence in the streets, candidates are receiving death threats and a specter of war looms over the country. And that’s before any ballots have been counted

Mr. Eisenkot, an ex-military chief leading in the polls, calls the Israeli prime minister an “anti-leader.” But his low-key campaigning style is worrying supporters.

© Amit Elkayam for The New York Times

TEL AVIV – Every Israeli election of the past decade has been sold as the last chance to save the country, and every one has ended in the same place: a long night of counting, followed by weeks of bargaining among men who swore they would never sit together. The vote on October 27 has a stronger […]

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