Bibi wins. Hate and hubris wins again. The world loses. nt

[kelliekat44]

[geek tragedy]

1. Be thankful for the clarity.

The mask has been removed, and it can't be put back on.

[BlueCaliDem]

16. Yep. It appears as if Israel agrees with Netanyahu's one-state mantra and that they

aren't as into a two-state solution. At least the mask has fallen there.

[leftynyc]

33. Really?

Did the election of Bush twice mean ALL Americans felt the same way our right wing did? Or even our entire government? Are you ready to concede that our country is a right wing country based on the 2014 election?

[geek tragedy]

37. Did Bush warn people "the blacks are voting in droves?"

Israeli Jews have a prime minister. Israeli Arabs are living in a state where the government has labeled them an enemy and a threat. And where Israeli Jews lined up behind the PM because of his explicit hostility towards Arabs as a race.

Also, Bibi has made permanent occupation of the West Bank the official policy of Israel. And Israeli voters gave him a resounding mandate for that policy.

So, yes, by giving a powerful mandate to him because he is a hideous racist who has promised to make permanent a hideously racist policy, Israel has been shown to be a hideously racist place that has no interest in improving itself.

The only liberal party by American standards, Meretz, is irrelevant.

[leftynyc]

38. The republican party certainly did

EXACTLY what you're talking about and they had an entire network squawking about it 24/7. I also remember Menachim Begin swearing he'd retire in a settlement in the Sinai. Right before he gave it back to Egypt.

[geek tragedy]

40. I must have missed Romney or McCain or Bush

openly donning a Klan robe like Bibi did in order to win.

Bibi would be betraying the Israeli public if he negotiated for a Palestinian state. His mandate is "fuck the Arabs, fuck the two-state solution."

That is why he won. This is who he is, this is what Israel has become.

Zionism joins Communism in the league of failed ideologies.

[leftynyc]

41. I know you're pissed

I'm pissed also. I certainly remember references to "real Americans" which excluded everyone on either coast. I also think you're being hyperbolic - to each their own. Israel will continue to be lucky in her enemies whose entire countries hate everyone who is not Muslim - Americans will continue to support Israel who has to live in the same neighborhood. That's reality.

[geek tragedy]

47. I think the relationship has to be restored to that between two states who have different interests.

This "unshakeable bond" and "shared values" nonsense belongs in the rubbish bin of history. Half the country views Israel's PM as their true leader. That's insane.

And above all we need to divorce ourselves from the failed peace process. We have no positive contribution to make. Any positive impetus for change needs to come from the UN and especially the EU.

[leftynyc]

48. And I also hope you realize

he won with less than 30% because of their government system. You're behaving as if 90% of Israelis voted for him.

[geek tragedy]

51. Yes, so he can form a coalition with Bennett and Lieberman.

He is Israel's Putin.

[leftynyc]

57. All his extra votes

CAME from the right wing. That's how he won. Do you not understand that? Or are you just so pissed that you are unable to do anything but lash out (which will accomplish absolutely nothing whatsoever)?

[geek tragedy]

63. This is what the ruling coalition will look like

30 Likud
10 Kulanu
8 Jewish Home
7 Shas
6 Yisrael Beitenu
6 UTJ

Yes, Likud managed to consolidate the fascist and racist vote so that it mostly resides under one party. I guess we should take comfort in that Bibi is now Putin to Bennett's Zhironovsky.

Anyhow, time for the US to sit on their hands when anti-Israel resolutions come up at the UN Security Council.

[leftynyc]

64. When has Kulanu

said they would support bibi? Are you ignorant of the FACT that their leader HATES bibi? Or are you just posting whatever bullshit seats you want to?

And your dream of the US sitting on their hands at the UN are ridiculous. More people in THIS country support bibi than they do in Israel. Suck on that for a while.

[geek tragedy]

65. Kulanu and Yesh Atid both want finance minister.

Bibi is the only game in town.

The President despises and distrusts Bibi, and he is the 'decider' for UN votes.

[leftynyc]

66. LOL

Pres Obama would never hurt the Democrats by having a hissy fit at the UN.

[geek tragedy]

67. So failing to outsource our UN vote to Israel

is now "having a hissy fit?"

Voting in our interests, in line with the rest of the world, is "having a hissy fit?"

Oh dear.

[leftynyc]

71. That it would be

voting in our interests is purely a matter of opinion.

[davidpdx]

72. So how many do they need total for a coalition?

I'm not very familiar with the electoral process in Israel.

[geek tragedy]

73. 61 nt

[whatthehey]

49. Not your interlocutor but that's a massive nonsequitur

"Israel" and "all Israelis" are not equivalent concepts. America is the wealthiest nation by far, yet we have millions in grinding poverty. The collective is not the same as all subordinate components.

Israel does want the government it has. Israel the collective demonstrated that by voting in a free and fair election. I don't agree with what they chose, but I know they chose it freely and willingly. Just like Kentucky wanted McConnell. What I wanted is a single datum. The state collectively wanting him is a collective action that my disagreement neither prevented nor overrode. Same goes for Israelis who preferred Herzog et al.

[leftynyc]

59. What people here don't seem

to understand, and even worse, don't want to understand, is that there is NO difference between the parties when it comes to the Palestinians. Everyone that was rooting for Herzog either didn't know or didn't care that he was just as for that excursion in gaza as bibi was. But watching them lash out like children today has been pretty educational for an American who never felt I had to explain who I voted for when I was in Europe during the Bush administration. And let's not pretend that bibi got even a majority of the votes. He didn't and will have to form his coalition with parties that hate him (right and left). He may be PM but he's unbelievably weakened.

[Bonobo]

53. When Bush was reelected in 2004, it was even worse.

At that point, the US had already destroyed the nation of Iraq and murdered hundreds of thousands.

Has Israel killed hundreds of thousands of people? Nope. And what's more, they are under a far greater threat than the US was.

Pit that in your hyperbolic pipe and smoke it.

[atreides1]

56. Not hundreds of thousands

Only 9,128 since 2000...of which 1,523 were children! How many should be killed before it's too many?


Currently the only threat that Israel is facing may be Lebanon and Hamas...Egypt and Syria are dealing with internal struggles, Jordan isn't an enemy of Israel...Iraq is dealing with ISIL and Iran is assisting them!

[Bonobo]

58. Well, in the first 4 years of the Iraq War...

Scientific surveys of Iraqi deaths resulting from the first four years of the Iraq War found that between 151,000 to over one million Iraqis died as a result of conflict during this time.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casualties_of_the_Iraq_War

So, I was slightly wrong about the time, but only slightly.

[G_j]

2. OH NO...

the worst thing that could happen right now...

[misterhighwasted]

3. And the 47 Traitors that aided Bibi will get their war.

They will be labelled as heroes & their reward will be great. The war machine marches on.
Sickening.

[bvf]

18. There are too many fools in the world. n/t.

[Midnight Writer]

23. Our Republican Majority have sworn fealty to a foreign leader

rather than to our own elected Commander-In-Chief. For the first time in American history, a foreign leader and his interests override our own.

This makes me sick to my stomach. The War Pigs own our elected Congressional Majority, and they are winning.

[libodem]

4. Oh NOOOOOO

How frightful. Yikes!!!!

[Xipe Totec]

5. Good luck getting anything from Obama, Bibi. nt

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

11. Seriously. I would close our embassy and cut off all diplomatic ties. Time to send that tyrant a message - GFY!

[cherokeeprogressive]

52. Close the embassy to all for the vote of just over half...

Moronic to the core.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

68. Yes, just like we've closed down and/or boycotted other installations, businesses, relationships in general, based on the votes or other actions of even less than a majority...

makes perfect sense, except to the "moronic" to quote you.

Nutandyahoo is a whackjob intent in getting us all killed. The prick needs to be sent a message and cutting off diplomatic relations, at least temporarily, til he comes to his senses, would accomplish just that.

That's all I'm sayin.

[cherokeeprogressive]

70. "intent on getting us all killed" Nope. No hyperbole here...

[leftynyc]

42. He doesn't need a thing from Pres Obama

He only needs congress who holds the purse strings. I also think the OP is hyperventilating - plenty of people said the same thing when Bush was selected in 2000 and won election in 2004.

[Xipe Totec]

61. So in your opinion the President is irrelevant in foreign policy?

47 Treacherous senators were right?

[G_j]

6. Netanyahu hails 'great victory' Herzog refuses to concede defeat; says ‘still an open game’

http://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2015/mar/17/israel-elections-netanyahu-herzog-voters-coalition-knesset

With over 90% of votes counted, Likud ahead by 30 seats to 24

Exit polls had put Herzog and Netanyahu at dead heat with 27 seats

Netanyahu appeals to right wing by rejecting Palestinian statehood

Herzog refuses to concede defeat; says ‘still an open game’

Arab Joint List, Yesh Atid and Kulanu vie for influence in outcome

[malaise]

27. I simply can't believe that Israel voted for the war criminal Bibi

Shameful

[G_j]

28. I'm not sure of anything anymore

[malaise]

29. Same here

This planet is on the edge

[maryellen99]

55. Yep I think we are looking at Nuclear War in the near future

Bibi would have no problem using nukes and neither would Putin.

[AngryOldDem]

30. The man is a master at the politics of fear.

No one can keep Israel safe but Bibi. Only he can keep total annihilation at bay. Only he can see that Iran has the bomb and won't be afraid to use it. Only he can see that negotiation isn't worth the effort. Never mind the fact that all his dire predictions over the past decade or so about Iran and much of the Middle East have turned out to be dead wrong. So now he's going to force the issue and bring the world to the brink.

What kind of mandate he thinks he has now is just too frightening to contemplate. What an unholy alliance -- this man and his minions in D.C. All-out war is coming, folks, because they want it that way.

He is just vile.

[malaise]

32. Sadly the US had a chance to stop him by condemning that

slaughter in Gaza. Non-stop US support merely emboldened this war criminal.

I am so pissed this morning.

[AngryOldDem]

34. But the U.S. never does.

Obama has been the only president not willing to put up with Bibi's shit, but Obama is also undercut by Congress at every turn. It's only going to get worse after next year.

What other foreign nation holds such sway over our government than Israel? I wish we could just cut the cord and let them go it alone. They start shit, they finish it. Period. As I said, what Bibi probably thinks he can do now is beyond frightening.

[malaise]

35. Not sure - expect sanctions from Europe

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/18/israel-election-bibi-the-magician-pulls-off-a-victory-but-at-what-cost
<snip>
In the immediate future, Palestinian leaders have made clear they plan to go with a raft of cases against Israel to the international criminal court. With Israel already blocking tax receipts to the Palestinian Authority for formally joining the international court of last resort, that move would trigger US Congress to order the freezing of US aid to the authority, a large part of which goes to supporting security forces.

Another potential consequence may be a renewed effort by the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, to seek recognition for a Palestinian state at the UN security council, a move which was blocked last year.

Without any commitment to a two-state solution and Netanyahu’s boast that he will continue building in occupied east Jerusalem, an already existing frustration with Israel is likely to increase.

That may in turn see increased pressure – not least from Europe – for moves towards sanctions against Israel.

[cwydro]

7. I'm not in the least bit surprised.

What a shame.

[lpbk2713]

8. Now he can quit acting.

And go back to being a full time asshole.

He must be relieved.

[leftynyc]

43. Because Israeli's

are notorious for fucking with exit pollsters.

[cilla4progress]

9. Why don't the exit polls

match the votes?

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

12. Wondered that too. Suspicious minds wanna know.

[Matariki]

15. They use Diebold voting machines

sold by Republican 'King Makers'?

[starroute]

19. No, I checked the other day -- they still use handcounted paper ballots

It does look funny, but there would have to be some other explanation.

[totodeinhere]

22. Because exit polls are just polls, not actual results.

Polls aren't always right.

[AngryOldDem]

31. Great question.

Not that we'll get an answer, or anything.

[PeteSelman]

10. You get what you ask for.

Israel, Kansas, Wisconsin or America in general. I'm done feeling sorry for people who vote for their own demise.

[world wide wally]

14. Yep ^

[cilla4progress]

13. Or another stolen election

Who knows what tales history will tell

[Ford_Prefect]

17. Dick Cheney must be pleased.

[project_bluebook]

20. I heard Mccain called to congratulate him, sang a little song

bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran.

[Luke Zee]

21. Bibi's Israel = Botha's South Africa

I don't see any alternative, given Netanyahu's latest statements vis-a-vis the Palestinians and Arab citizens of Israel.

Boycott. Divest. Sanction!

[KauaiK]

24. I can't think of another head of state whom I loathe more than Bibi.

[mimi85]

25. Putin is a close second.

This just sucks. The "media" made it sound so close.

[LeftishBrit]

62. Sadly there are worse than Bibi or Putin (not that I can stand either of them)

Assad; the military rulers of Egypt; the Taliban; the warmongering dictators in several African states; most of all, perhaps, the leaders of North Korea.

[joshcryer]

26. Evil people prosper.

[romanic]

36. What's the total percentage of voters who voted?

I refuse to believe a majority of Israelis would allow that criminal into power.

[leftynyc]

44. Over 70% voted

so I'm afraid you're wrong.

[MohRokTah]

39. Cut them off compeltely and let them stand completely alone.

That was the message the Israeli voters sent to the world.

[leftynyc]

45. Never going to happen

At least not from the United States.

[deutsey]

46. More and more I'm convinced

that we live in the evil alternate universe that's a trope in SCI-FI shows and movies.

[Myrina]

50. Was Diebold counting the votes?

n/t

[Bluenorthwest]

54. I'd be interested in hearing how this OP ties in with your Post U.S. Election OP Nov 5, 2014

"The openness and brazenness of the LBGT agenda and the media flaunting of gay marriages all across the country cost Dems dearly and threatens to do so in the future."
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025764803#post45

I always like to see the way a person's logic threads their views into a piece. You claimed LGBT people 'flaunting' cost us the election. Is that what happened in Israel too?

[fxstc]

60. The people of Israel win

they had massive turnout and voted in who they think best for them. win for them.

[Takket]

69. amazing win really

Considering every single poll I looked at for this race showed his party losing. Amazing he was able to pull out the win. I guess every single poll was wrong just like all the polls about Kerry winning were wrong. not that I'm saying these results are fishy but.... THEY ARE FISHY

So will Bibi say he has a mandate now? does this election put a "stamp of approval" on his policy of taking land from Palestinians? What about his war mongering with Iran? He might wait to see if the US elects a Rethug in 2017 so we can pay for the war with our lives and taxpayer dollars for him, but I'm sure the plan and pretext for the war is already in place both in Israel and GOP headquarters.