Israelis go to polls in crucial election

[brooklynite]

Source: CNN

JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Israelis braved pouring rain and strong winds Tuesday to cast ballots in an election that will pick not just the next prime minister but create a new balance of power and lay the groundwork for the next stage of the nation's future.

If the latest polls hold true, the Likud Party may come out ahead, allowing former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to once again take the reins of the country if he can form a governing coalition. But the gap between Likud and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni's ruling Kadima Party appeared to be narrowing in recent days.

Whatever the final result, with no single party expected to win an overall majority in the Knesset, Israel's parliament, the party that emerges from Tuesday's election with the most seats still faces the challenge of building a viable governing coalition.

...snip...

About 5.2 million people are eligible to vote until 10 p.m. (3 p.m. ET), choosing from 33 parties By 2 p.m., 34 percent of eligible voters had cast their ballots, according to the Central Election Committee -- a higher turnout than the midday mark during the last elections.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/02/10/israel.elections.polls/index.html

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A Netanyahu Government is going to give President Obama and Secretary Clinton a lot of heartburn in my opinion...

[mikelgb]

1. Finally, this campaign has been quite deadly...

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[DavidDvorkin]

3. Didn't take long for that to show up.

[Behind the Aegis]

11. Never does. You know that!

;)

[DavidDvorkin]

13. Yep.

Fraid so.

[Turborama]

4. Developing: Kadima leads Likud in tight Israel vote: TV exit polls

Source: AFP

Israel's centrist Kadima party led by Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni has a narrow lead over former premier Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing Likud in Tuesday's election, according to television exit polls obtained by AFP.

Kadima was projected to win 28-30 seats in the 120-member Knesset or parliament, compared with 26-28 for Likud, according to figures from two exit polls.

Read more: http://www.africasia.com/services/news/newsitem.php?area=mideast&item=090210195650.vi4kefwb.php

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Will add more when definite figures come out...

[bluestateguy]

5. Mazal tov (we'll see)

If Kadima had to steal the election to win, you would not hear any complaining from me.

[rockymountaindem]

6. I've always thought they were a party with Tzip!

:)

[Turborama]

7. Watch full ongoing coverage here

http://english.aljazeera.net/watch_now/

or (better quality picture)

http://www.livestation.com/channels/3-al_jazeera_english

[brooklynite]

8. Livni may not be able to form gov't due to large right-wing bloc (Israel Polls closed)

Source: Jerusalem Post

With voting stations officially closed, exit polls at 10 p.m. suggested that Kadima would win the general elections on Tuesday.

However, due to the dramatic rise in support of the Likud and Israel Beiteinu, it seemed that Likud chairman Binyamin Netanyahu would have a better chance than Kadima head Tzipi Livni of forming the next coalition.

The Channel 1 poll showed Kadima winning 30 mandates, and Likud trailing closely behind with 28 seat. Israel Beiteinu was predicted to earn 14 mandates, and Labor was slated to get 13 seats.

The Channel 2 poll narrowed the gap between first and second place, showing Kadima with 29 mandates, and Likud with 27 seats. Israel Beiteinu was predicted to earn 15 mandates, and 13 seats.

Read more: http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1233304741384&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

[dave29]

9. Exit polls forecast Livni over Netanyahu in Israel

Source: AP

JERUSALEM – Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni's Kadima Party eked out a surprising victory in Israel's election Tuesday, exit polls said, but a strong showing by hard-line rivals will make it difficult for her to form a coalition government or pursue her vision of a peace agreement with the Palestinians.

The exit polls announced on Israeli TV stations gave the centrist Kadima a narrow edge over Benjamin Netanyahu's hard-line Likud Party. The results, if confirmed, marked a stunning turn of events for Netanyahu, who had held a solid lead in opinion polls heading into the parliamentary election.

Cheers erupted at Kadima's election night headquarters as the exit polls were announced. In contrast, the mood at Likud's headquarters in Tel Aviv was dour.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090210/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_israel_election

[MADem]

10. I wonder if it was all that surprising, really.

Bibi can be a bit rabid at times. Maybe people were just not saying much, but they were turned off by him.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

12. She kinda sucks, but at least that warmongering extremist nutjob Bibi didn't get back in

so it's marginally good news

[Junkdrawer]

15. "Avigdor Lieberman, an advocate of stripping Israeli Arabs of their citizenship...

would play a key role in the next coalition."

Nice...

See also:

http://therealnews.com/t/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=3286

[brooklynite]

14. Live TV coverage in English

http://www.iba.org.il/media/?liveTv=yes&broadcastUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fswitch5.castup.net%2Fframes%2F20040704_IBA_Popup%2Fiba_gray.asp%3Fai%3D3191zA81ar%3Dchannel_33

[brooklynite]

16. 5 PM EST - Exit Poll predictions give Party edge to Kadima but Bloc to Likud

from the Jerusalem Post:

Kadima: 30
Likud: 28
Israel Beiteinu: 15
Labor: 13

right-wing bloc: 63-64
left-wing bloc: 56-57

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1233304741384&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

61 needed to Govern

[Junkdrawer]

17. So if the Right Wing bloc forms a ruling government, does that mean Bibi wins?

:shrug:

[brooklynite]

18. Likely, but Israeli TV was talking about another "Grand Coalition" Government...

...with alternating Party leaders serving as PM

[w4rma]

19. Could have gone much worse. Whew. (nt)