Netanyahu wins party mandate for alliance with far right [View all]
Source: Reuters
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday overcame opposition within his party to an alliance with a far-right group that opinion polls predict will help him triumph in a January election.
Netanyahu had angered many Likud party faithful with a surprise announcement on Thursday of the merger with Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman's ultra-nationalist party.
Some of Likud's 3,700-member ruling body tried to stall the vote by petitioning for a secret ballot, but the alliance won a quick show of hands after Netanyahu pledged in a speech that the move would "not change Likud" or supplant its leadership.
"I've got news for you, I intend to lead Israel for many years to come," he said to loud applause in a packed Tel Aviv auditorium.
Read more: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-rt-us-israel-netanyahu-politicsbre89s0vo-20121029,0,7448106.story
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