[ScaniaBoy]

G'd morning to you!

Netanyahu was beaten in elections by Barak - who was helped greatly by Clinton and his PR people. Netanyahu then lost the leadership of Likud - his Parlimentary party - to Sharon. He is once again leader of Likud, who suffered a heavy set-back in th recent elections. Netanyahu will first of all have to beat off a challenge for the leadership of Likud. Then there has to be new elections.

IIRC the new Israeli basic law makes the PM more powerful, so if the present coalition falls due to a motion of no confidence in the Knesset, it is up to Olmert to either try to form a new coalition or call for a general election.

It appears that the war has opened up a lot of cracks not only within the coalition, but wthin Olmert's own party, Kadima.

It will be interesting to see how this will play out in the coming months. My own guess - and hope - is that changes within the political community in Israel, and among the voters, will make any further retreats and handover of land to the Arabs politically impossible, whomever is PM.

[ScaniaBoy]

OOops!

Reply to the right post - but I thought I was on the live thread. Too many windows open. Too little coffee!

[La Enchiladita]

I would think there would not be a vote of no confidence during wartime, barring a serious blunder. Olmert was severely reprimanded when he spoke last week of removing 15 families from the West Bank, IIRC, and had to retract his statement. However, he has been saying this for more than year, he believes in surrendering land.

Is Olmert French?

P.S. This is a good thread too. I hope Israel Beach comes back when possible to update us. :)

[quantfive]

"It will be interesting to see how this will play out in the coming months. My own guess - and hope - is that changes within the political community in Israel, and among the voters, will make any further retreats and handover of land to the Arabs politically impossible, whomever is PM."

Bibi will be PM in Israel during the last "peace" deal Israel signs. This may be this current situation or one in the future, but it's the final peace deal before the great tribulation. I was shown this in a prophetic dream right after Ehud Barak was elected. I thought the dream was odd, because here in America a President cannot be re-elected and only realized in the last two years that this is possible in Israel.