By Ryan Jones
Jan 08, 2006
If poll numbers and media analysts are anything to go by ? and we acknowledge that they rarely are ? Israel appears set to elect a government bogged down by its own fractious nature, unable to adequately defend its people and deflect or reverse efforts to relieve the Jews of their ancient homeland.
Despite the results of a weekend Yediot Ahronot poll, many agree that once Israelis stop viewing Ariel Sharon as their leader, his Kadima Party will take a nosedive and have very little chance of forming the next government.
That would leave the prime ministerial race between Likud's Binyamin Netanyahu and Labor's Amir Peretz.
Kadima is still expected to make a strong showing, however, and neither Likud nor Labor is likely to walk away with a commanding number of mandates, potentially leaving the next Knesset with three large parties of relatively equal size and power.
Some media analysts believe Netanyahu will ultimately be tasked with forming a coalition out of this incompatible hodgepodge of socioeconomic and political ideologies.
Netanyahu faced a similarly difficult situation the last time he was elected as Israel's leader. In the end, he was able to accomplish little as prime minister and was unseated after serving only half his term.
It is for the benefit of all Israelis that one way or another a government is elected that is able to actually take action.
If Labor or Kadima end up forming the next government, the path Israel takes in terms of security and the land is likely to be detrimental, but will ultimately force the nation into positive action.
If Netanyahu and Likud are victorious, and the electorate supports a larger right-wing bloc to bolster the government, ?Bibi? will be in a position to make good on his promises to effectively combat terrorism and end the current policy of surrendering land to Israel's enemies.
But if, as current indicators seem to suggest, Likud wins by only a small margin over both Labor and Kadima, and the right-wing bloc is no more influential than ultra-leftist Jewish and Arab parties, Netanyahu will be left with a slim majority coalition unable to pass any legislation in a largely hostile Knesset.
In such a deadlock, Israelis will continue to be slowly bled by the ?Palestinians? while the terror groups continue to rebuild for future assaults; Israel will continue to be vulnerable to international pressure to not take the steps necessary to end the terrorist threat to its citizens; and efforts by the gentile nations to divide this land will continue apace without the possibility of a unified, cohesive Israeli declaration that enough is enough.