Livni leading in Israeli election exit polls - Reuters

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090210/ts_nm/us_israel_election_13

JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni led exit polls after Tuesday's parliamentary election by only a two-seat margin over right-winger Benjamin Netanyahu.

Also, here.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1063115.html

[EFerrari]

1. Do exit polls work in Israel? Or are they broken there like they are here?

I was hoping that Netanyahu would be sent away.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

3. Well, if true, she'll have to form a coalition gov't. And, who knows how that will go.

[mod mom]

4. Excellent question-I was wondering the same. Netanyahu scares the bejebbies

out of me, so here's hoping the Israeli neocons are defeated as well.

[EFerrari]

7. She's pretty scary, too, but there is a possibility that she won't blow up the planet.

I thought she might have a chance because Brian Lamb kept playing videos of her speaking and being interviewed last week. Brian is not very subtle sometimes. lol

[Avalux]

2. ICK.

Her handling of the Gaza fighting was repulsive. Netanyahu isn't exactly a good pick either.

[TheWraith]

6. As disturbing as the idea may be, she's actually the moderate.

You've got Netanyahu on the other side, and one of the other major players in a right-wing coalition would be former defense minister Avigdor Lieberman. He famously is on the record supporting mass bombing of civilian areas in the occupied territories; mass execution of prisoners without trial; oh, and describing Arabic citizens of Israel as needing to be destroyed or forcibly relocated.

[Avalux]

8. It is disturbing. Her complete lack of regard for dead Palestinian women and children

was very upsetting to me. I do realize the others are much worse so I guess if she's elected it's the lesser evil.

[Lance_Boyle]

5. Israel's lesser of two evils is way more evil than ours,

but kudos to kadima for keeping the nutty-yahoo away from power, assuming the current lead holds up.

[Turborama]

10. There was a guy on AJ English earlier who was describing it as

a choice between the "bad, worse and worst".

'Livni ahead' in Israeli election

Voter turnout was higher than expected in Tuesday's closely fought general election.

Early exit polls indicate that the centrist Kadima party, led by Tzipi Livni, has a narrow lead over the opposition Likud party as polling closes in Israel's general election.

Kadima was placed just two points ahead of Likud, led by Benyamin Netanyahu, the former prime minister, by unofficial exit polls broadcast on Israeli television.

Likud had consistently led in Israeli election polls since November last year, but Kadima appeared to have won back votes in the final days before polling on Tuesday.

Likud members expressed dismay as internal polling indicated Kadima has closed the gap between the two front-runners.

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2009/02/200921018304418657.html">More

Watch live coverage here


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

or (better picture)

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

[GoesTo11]

9. Even if Kadima gets most seats, Livni is a long shot for PM

They have to form a coalition, and there will probably be more on the right than on the left.

[backscatter712]

11. wheeee. Livni sucks less....

She ain't no prize, but she's an improvement over Netanyahu...

[GoesTo11]

12. Livni Boy really likes her.

[Lilith Velkor]

14. Does he sing R&B, and have 'LIVNI' emblazoned on his tuchus?

[GoesTo11]

15. almost

There really is a Livni boy video on the youtube, playing off Obama girl. This cheesecake guy sings to her picture and says something about Bibi.

[Lilith Velkor]

19. Says he doesn't trust Bibi

That boy needs to either pull his pants up, or take them off. Preferably the latter, as the bulge looks rather impressive. B-)

[LeftishBrit]

13. Hope so...

Not exactly the greatest, wisest or most compassionate leader in existence... But when you consider the likely alternative!

[Baikonour]

16. Does Netanyahu support the two-state solution?

I know Tzipi does. Just wondering.

[BlooInBloo]

22. I lose track with their leader-of-the-month system, but I *think* he's a kill-em-all sort...

Could be thinking of someone else, though.

[rvablue]

25. He doesn't support dismantling the settlments, so even if

he claims to support it, he doesn't. It's not feasible if the settlements are not closed.

[Canuckistanian]

17. Tzipi the Pinhead?

Well, it could be worse. We could have Netanyahu again.

Either way, it's going to be a RW government.

[Junkdrawer]

18. Though his party came in second, Netanyahu is probably the next Prime Minister....

Livni may not be able to form gov't due to large right-wing bloc

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

Supporters of Israel's Foreign Minister and Kadima Party leader Tzipi Livni, react as exit polls are being announced during the Kadima election night rally in Tel Aviv, Tuesday.

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

According to Channel 1, the right-wing bloc won 63 Knesset seats and the left wing 57; Channel 2 predicted 64 for the right and 56 for the left; and Channel 10, like Channel 1, predicted 63 and 57


...

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

[tom_paine]

20. If the Israeli Bushies are as far along as our Bushies, it means Bibi wins.

It is quite clear that Israel is Bsuhified, probably, like us, through Black Ops and centered on actually running things through the intelligence services.

Of course, I know very little about Israeli politics and their voting system, so this is just uninformed and idle speculatioion.

What do the Israelis vote on, I wonder?

Diebold Touchscreens?

[jakefrep]

21. Is Israel Beitenu even more right-wing than Likud?

I don't think I've heard of that party before.

[rockymountaindem]

23. Yes

They're pretty far out there and are led by a crazy, hateful dingbat named Lieberman who makes our version look like Mr. Rogers by comparison.

[LeftishBrit]

26. Yes, they are basically the Israeli version of the xenophobic-nationalist parties that exist in many

Europaean countries. E.g. the BNP in the UK, LePen's National Front in France, the late Haider's nutcase party in the Netherlands. Your equivalent would probably be the Pat Buchanan supporters.

[Wiley50]

24. It speaks loads about that country that Livni is considered a moderate

From watching her at the Nat. Press Club I would not be surprised

if she uses the blood of Palestinian Babies for Lip Gloss