NationStates Jolt Archive

So aye, Olmert has stepped down, cannot believe that's not been posted yet, but more to the point, Kadima are quite possibly going to have to call a snap election due to pressure from the right in the Knesset.

Snap poll call as Olmert departs

Israeli right-wing opposition leader Binyamin Netanyahu has called for snap elections, after Prime Minister Ehud Olmert announced he would stand down.

Mr Netanyahu said the government had "finished its mission" and was responsible for a "string of failures".

Mr Olmert announced on Wednesday that he would not stand in a leadership race for his Kadima Party set for September.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/7534593.stm

Thoughts?

yes!!!!!!

*does a jig and cackles*

About time. Olmert was a TERRIBLE Prime Minister.

Crossing my fingers for Netanyahu...

Crossing my fingers for Netanyahu...
Eugh. That prick makes Tzipi Livni look like a centrist.

If there's any lingering suspicions that the Israelis are even considering striking at Iran, this ought to dispel them. When their own domestic leadership is heavily overrun by scandal and chaos, lashing at out another country, in a move that would transcend unpopular and stupid, is even less likely.

Eugh. That prick makes Tzipi Livni look like a centrist.

Oh, I know. But at the same time, he is against pretty much everything Olmert has done. So it makes me smile :D
Anybody who has been in opposition to Olmert gets brownie points in my book.

Oh, I know. But at the same time, he is against pretty much everything Olmert has done. So it makes me smile :D
Uhu, on the other hand he compares Iran to Nazi Germany (which it actually isn't like in almost every way) and leads a party whose roots are based in terrorism. No thanks.
Anybody who has been in opposition to Olmert gets brownie points in my book.
Eugh. I don't like Olmert, but much in the same way as I don't like Bush, simply being against the guy is not enough to merit respect. Giving something better as an alternative, hurrah, just not being him, meh.

Bibi was also pretty corrupt as the prime minister, and I find him to be quite oily in his dealings in general. I think he does much better when working on foreign relations than he does when trying to govern the country. Anyway, the Likud is too right-wing for me, so I'll probably vote for someone else.

Anybody who has been in opposition to Olmert gets brownie points in my book.
"Anybody"? Hamas has been in opposition to Olmert, as I recall.:p
I cannot stand Netanyahu, and think a repeat would be disastrous.

Uhu, on the other hand he compares Iran to Nazi Germany (which it actually isn't like in almost every way) and leads a party whose roots are based in terrorism. No thanks.

Eugh. I don't like Olmert, but much in the same way as I don't like Bush, simply being against the guy is not enough to merit respect. Giving something better as an alternative, hurrah, just not being him, meh.

The roots in terrorism thing, while I can sympathize, doesn't really work in the middle east. Rabin was also considered a terrorist, and he made peace. As for the Iran thing, you wont find much sympathy from me about that. I despise the Iranian regime, but that is a whole different thread =P

*sigh*

What is it with countries not having good choices for leaders anymore? I would love a better alternative. But who is there?

"Anybody"? Hamas has been in opposition to Olmert, as I recall.:p
I cannot stand Netanyahu, and think a repeat would be disastrous.

Ha. Yeah, I can't see the leader of Hamas taking office in Israel...

yes!!!!!!

*does a jig and cackles*

About time. Olmert was a TERRIBLE Prime Minister.

Crossing my fingers for Netanyahu...

That Crack stuff will ruin your brain....

That Crack stuff will ruin your brain....

I prefer to think it will enhance it. *scratches nose*

By the way, Yootopia, I love the thread title. I forgot to mention that earlier.

If there's any lingering suspicions that the Israelis are even considering striking at Iran, this ought to dispel them.

Not if Netanyahu becomes PM.

The roots in terrorism thing, while I can sympathize, doesn't really work in the middle east. Rabin was also considered a terrorist, and he made peace.
Uhu. Likud started with people who carbombed the British and were given a pardon. That's just not cricket.
As for the Iran thing, you wont find much sympathy from me about that. I despise the Iranian regime, but that is a whole different thread =P
Despising them and claiming that they're in a similar position to Nazi Germany in 1938 are two different things. One is fair enough, because it's an opinion. The other is bullshit, because it flies in the face of the facts.
What is it with countries not having good choices for leaders anymore?
Always been true.
I would love a better alternative. But who is there?
Sharon. He's still in a vegetative state, which is about the best state for an Israeli PM. Means they can't say anything stupid.
Not if Netanyahu becomes PM.
Quite.

If I were an Israeli, I'd hold my nose and vote for Barak and Labor. This is the wrong time for leftist vote-splintering.

(Speaking of which, why does the English media transliterate Kadima but translate Avodah (Labor)?)

If I were an Israeli, I'd hold my nose and vote for Barak and Labor. This is the wrong time for leftist vote-splintering.
Indeed.
(Speaking of which, why does the English media transliterate Kadima but translate Avodah (Labor)?)
Because "Labour" sounds like a proper party, whereas "Forwards" doesn't. I suppose you could call them the Progressive Party or something, I guess.

(Speaking of which, why does the English media transliterate Kadima but translate Avodah (Labor)?)

Maybe because almost all countries that have parties (hell, even some that don't) have a "Labor" party, or some iteration of that title? It's kind of intuitive at this point what such a party's platform is. Kadima, on the other hand, could be just about anywhere on the political spectrum.

Eugh. That prick makes Tzipi Livni look like a centrist.

This.

There's no one really popular enough at the moment apart from Netanyahu. Does not bode well.

In my opinion it's because the referring to it as Labor actually provides some sort of reference to its points of view. The transliterations of Kadima (Forward) and Likud (Consolidation) really don't tell us anything, whatsoever, about their parties.

In my opinion it's because the referring to it as Labor actually provides some sort of reference to its points of view. The transliterations of Kadima (Forward) and Likud (Consolidation) really don't tell us anything, whatsoever, about their parties.

Shining Path?

Also, Livni: All parties that support peace must unite under Kadima (http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1007482.html)

Rather convenient for her, isn't it?

Heck if I know, Sendero Luminoso, just like Kadima, is a party name that is nothing more than a 'sweet nothing' for a name.

Heck if I know, Sendero Luminoso, just like Kadima, is a party name that is nothing more than a 'sweet nothing' for a name.

Yeah, perhaps I'm just looking for order in an essentially chaotic matter.

Eugh. That prick makes Tzipi Livni look like a centrist.

Eh. Tzipi Livni is a centrist.

Remember Kadima got elected on a platform of unilaterally tearing down all the settleements.

and leads a party whose roots are based in terrorism. No thanks.


O you can't hold that against the prick. Sure look at oul Nelson.

Remember Kadima got elected on a platform of unilaterally tearing down all the settleements.

No, it didn't. You need some significant qualifications of scope there--"all" is just plain wrong.

The greatest party-name translation I ever saw was in an article about France that referred to the "Reassembled Republicans".

Kadima would be the "Progress" party in English.

And I personally like Tzipi Livni. She's clean, supports the peace process, and in general sounds like she'd be a good leader.

Netanyahu, on the other hand, does NOT support the peace process. We can't afford to stop now.

I hereby endorse Tzipi Livni for Prime Minister of Israel.

so this is what Blair's new job is going to be

Netanyahu, on the other hand, does NOT support the peace process. We can't afford to stop now.

Everybody in Israeli politics, including goddamn Liberman, supports the peace process.

Supporting "process" and supporting "peace" are not, alas, the same.

Kadima would be the "Progress" party in English.

And I personally like Tzipi Livni. She's clean, supports the peace process, and in general sounds like she'd be a good leader.

Netanyahu, on the other hand, does NOT support the peace process. We can't afford to stop now.

I hereby endorse Tzipi Livni for Prime Minister of Israel.

Also, my mind pronounces her first name as "Zippy" which I approve of. That's worth an extra 50 points. *nod*