It ain't over 'til it's over
Reader comment on item: Who Won in Israel's Elections?

Submitted by Ken Besig (Israel), Feb 12, 2009 at 06:15

Dr. Pipes, the election in Israel is far from over, there are still over a hundred thousand ballots to be counted, and that means up to five Knesset seats are still up for grabs. And those hundred thousand ballots won't even be looked at for another week. So legally and technically, neither the Likud nor Kadima has "won" anything yet.

By the way, those hundred thousand ballots are from soldiers, hospitalized individuals, and Foreign Ministry overseas workers, and the experts here believe that between three and five new Knesset seats will be added to the Likud list when these ballots are finally counted.

Regarding Avigdor Lieberman and his Yisrael Beitenu Party, you are correct, they made a big time hit with their anti Israeli Arab message with the demand that Israeli Arabs be required to take a loyalty oath to the State of Israel in order to keep their citizenship, their countenancing of civil marriage as opposed to Jewish religious marriage here in Israel and finally the Lieberman Party also scored big by championing making conversion to Judaism in Israel easier than the process is now. And the chances of him being able to implement any part of his program with either the Likud or the Kadima Parties are between slim and none, and slim's left town.

Mr. Lieberman voiced sentiments which are widely held in the Russian Israeli community which is largely irreligious but is extremely nationalist, and among Israelis who are extremely nationalist but who take his anti religious posturing as just that and nothing more.

Dr. Pipes, I invite you to take a look at the election results next week when they are really and finally in, and I think that you will find the Israeli political map far different from what it appears to be today.

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Daniel Pipes replies:

I am replying on February 19, exactly a week after this comment was sent, and nothing has changed, not a single seat has moved from one party to another.