| While the kids are in summer camp and adults are balancing work and long summer evenings, Israel goes to elections… again.Parties, this time: For a bicameral country like the US, it’s simple enough. Direct election of your local and state representatives, possibly choosing the personality, and the rest is often up to the traditional split between Dems and Republicans. Our parliamentary system, as you’ve noticed, has its challenges, but remember this: the varied populace has the chance to be represented in many ways, with creative coalitions on issues of real importance – rather than a blind split down the middle. So we have our politicians, often the younger ones, bouncing from one party to the next, but hopefully we have enough serious candidates on the issues and not just taking care of staying in the Knesset. Ehud Barak is a glaring example of wonder, what is he looking for? A failed leader with no real electoral base nor natural party partners after the Labor party demise – it can’t be the money, and he’s got the fame. Hmm.Electioneering: Our politicians are smart enough to wait with their messaging til our heads are back from vacation. The election drama this week is the approaching deadline for submitting party lists – then we’ll know who’s running with whom, what parties we’ve got, and just how tough it’ll be to decide strategy for those who want to give Netanyahu a sure win while strengthening him from the right, as so many do. Stay tuned Thursday.More news in politics here, right at home for me: PM Netanyahu attends road-inaugurating ceremony in Gush Etzion! While he does get credit for helping push the permits, elections are in the air. Hoping people notice how much he has done when the cameras are off too. |
