Netanyahu: Israel's arch-hawk aiming for comeback

Breitbart via Drudge report ^ | August 14, 2007 | AFP

[RDTF]

Former premier Benjamin Netanyahu, who is set to be re-elected as head of Israel's right-wing Likud party on Tuesday, is a media-savvy arch-hawk determined to move back to the political centre stage.

Netanyahu was expected to sweep to victory during a Likud primary with at least 70 percent of the vote, according to internal opinion polls, in a contest against two other candidates.

-snip-

Bibi, as Netanyahu is widely known in Israel, is hoping to ride a wave of dissapointment with the ruling Kadima party over scandals and last year's Lebanon war back to the top of the Israeli political spectrum.

The right-wing party had the wind knocked out of it after former prime minister Ariel Sharon decided in November 2005 to quit and form the centrist Kadima, today headed by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

With Netanyahu at the helm, Likud that had dominated Israeli politics since its first election victory in 1977 managed to scrape together only 12 seats in the 120-member parliament.

The defeat marked a devastating turn of fortunes for the politician who 11 years before became Israel's youngest prime minister.

Over the past year, however, Netanyahu's luck has changed -- opinion ratings of him and his party have risen as those of Kadima and Olmert have slid in the wake of the inconclusive Lebanon war and a string of scandals involving senior government figures.

Today Netanyahu is the public's first choice to be Israel's next prime minister -- 36 percent favoured him in a recent opinion poll, compared with eight percent for Olmert and 22 percent for former premier Ehud Barak.

[agrace]

Compared to Olmert he’s practically a warmonger. :)

I’m hoping he learned his lesson back in the Clinton era and won’t make the same mistakes again, but we’ll see.

[betty boop]

BTTT!

Thanks for the post, RDTF!

[APRPEH]

Bibi is guy looking for a good deal and thinks like all Modern Zionists who look to their brains instead of the Torah that he can make a better deal on land for peace than the other guy, no matter who the other guy is.

[APRPEH]

yea, but what G-d forbid happens if he ends up with yet another clinton....????? eeeegads

[Rummyfan]

Over the past year, however, Netanyahu's luck has changed -- opinion ratings of him and his party have risen as those of Kadima and Olmert have slid in the wake of the inconclusive Lebanon war and a string of scandals involving senior government figures.

Any Israeli watching Olmert's performance over the last two years should be ready to welcome Bibi back with open arms!

[small voice in the wilderness]

Better Bibi than Olmerde ping!

I would like to see the American version of that ping. Better Guilliani/ANY Republican than Clinton ping! I wonder why it doesn't translate in this country. We are as threatened as Israel, and while we may not have a Republican designer candidate of our dreams, anyone, ANYONE, is better than hillary at the helm. Israel seems to understand now the danger is real and the weakest hawk is far better than the strongest dove. Kudos to Israel. May we wake up, too, before it's too late.

[Convert from ECUSA]

Hmmmm, I don’t care much for Guliani. Way too liberal on same-sex whatever, gun control, and abortion, and he seems to be mush on illegal immigration. Too much the northeastern country club RINO. Yes, Evita is even worse, but I’m tired of every election having to hold my nose and vote for the lesser of two evils. I haven’t been a “for” voter since Reagan. Give me Hunter, Tancredo, or maybe Fred Thompson and I could be a “for” voter again.

[small voice in the wilderness]

I KNOW you see the irony of that statement;) Please tell me you do...

[Convert from ECUSA]

:)

[timer]

It is said that when 2 israelis get together to talk politics, already 3 political parties are formed. Question : given the messy nature of israeli politics, when is the earliest we can expect to see bibi as PM?

[Little Ray]

Actually, I seem to recall Guiliani saying his views didn’t differ much from Senator Clinton’s.

Congressional gridlock would be better than Guiliani or Clinton.

[T.L.Sink]

Absolutely. By the way, I recommend his book “Fighting Terrorism,” which was revised after 9/11. There’s been a huge number of books on Islamofascism and terrorism but few have been written by one who has had such direct experience and success in actually doing it.

[Convert from ECUSA]

Hi T.L.,

I have that book! He tells it like it is!

[agrace]

Excellent point, hadn’t thought of that.

[T.L.Sink]

Right - there aren’t too many books I’ve wanted to read twice but that’s one!

[rmlew]

"Arch-hawk"?
This is the guy who gave up Hebron and continued the Oslo suicide, making Likud an accomplice.

[SJackson]

If you'd like to be on this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

High Volume. Articles on Israel can also be found by clicking on the Topic or Keyword Israel. or WOT [War on Terror]

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[shalom aleichem]

re when might Bibi assume power:
“National elections are not due until 2010, but if Mr. Olmert’s fragile government collapses, early elections could take place next year.”
from:
http://www.voanews.com/english/2007-08-14-voa21.cfm

[RobbyS]

Compared with Olmert. Even a raven is a hawk by that standard.

[timer]

Aye Veh, a YEAR from now may be way too late for bibi’s strong hand in the PM’s office. That gives Israel another whole year of Olmert’s dithering along, can they afford that luxury in the face of all the hostile forces around them? Plus russia moving into syria and possibly gaza....talk about the story of the 3 little pigs, 2 of them playing along in the summer sunshine without a care in the world....