It's time to breathe a sigh of relief and perhaps even celebrate. Undoubtedly there will be plenty of time and opportunities for cynicism later.
From the editorial:
Winners. (1) Bibi Netanyahu, who can be PM now for four full years, meaning he could have the joy of outlasting President Obama's term. (2) Likud, which won more sets in the Knesset than they had in either of Bibi's two wins during Obama's tenure in office. (3) Israel's right-leaning voters, who came to realize that if they wanted Bibi to win & have first shot at forming a government they had to pull the lever for his party.
Losers. (1) Zionist Union, though Herzog made a decent showing as a first-time Labor Party leader. (2) President Obama, whose open, clumsy efforts to intervene in Israel's election, and whose contemptuous treatment of Bibi backfired big-time; Obama will face an Israeli leader with a first-ever mandate: to stand up to, rather than genuflect to, an American administration. (3) pollsters, whose reputation will take a well-deserved hit after blowing this one. (4) Iran, who thought they'd face a weaker Israeli government, whether headed by Likud or the Zionist Union; (5) Palestinians, who now face victorious Bibi after Bibi explicitly rejected any "peace" deal with them in the current climate.
Bottom Line. Israel's electorate has delivered a decisive verdict. Our strongest Mideast ally has been buttressed, and President Obama's crusade to weaken Israel versus the Palestinians & Iran has been undercut.
Such a decisive win reflects the decisive win we had in November.
I expect Israelis will make more of it than we have.
The people of Israel spoke and Emperor Obama is pi$$ed.
THANK YOU ISRAELI FREEDOM LOVERS.
Obama is dangerously close to “messing with the word of God”.