Binyamin Netanyahu's aides launch stinging rebuke to Israeli president (on Iran)

[alp227]

Source: The Guardian

Aides to Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu launched a stinging rebuke to the country's president, Shimon Peres, after he said that Israel should not act alone in launching military action against Iran's nuclear programme.

"Shimon Peres forgets what the role of the president of Israel is," officials from Netanyahu's office were quoted in the Israeli media as saying. The aides offered examples from the past when they said Peres's judgment had been wrong.

The row is a stark example of the sharp differences at the heart of Israel's political, military and intelligence establishment over the merits and dangers of an early unilateral military strike on Iran. Speculation has intensified recently that Netanyahu and defence minister Ehud Barak are considering launching action this autumn, before the US presidential election.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/aug/17/binyamin-netanyahu-shimon-peres-iran

[SkyDaddy7]

1. When is the next election in Israel...

That could get rid of ole Binny?

And by chance does anyone have any clue as to whether or not Binny is popular in Israel? Is Israel as divided as the USA is or does Binny enjoy a comfortable backing from the public?

[Panasonic]

2. It's a coalition of government

Similar to Greece.

It's Kadima holding on with right-wing minority coalitions.

Avigdor Lieberman is a threat to the health of Israel.

[oberliner]

3. Kadima is not part of the government in Israel

Did you mean to write Likud?

[Panasonic]

4. No.

Kadima is the correct term.

Remember, Bibi took over for Ariel Sharon (who, ironically, is still in PVS), when Sharon headed the Kadima government, but started expelling the left aspect of it, and became Likudnik.

I want all Likudniks out of the Israeli government and put the left-of-center people back on. That includes Tzipi Livini.

[oberliner]

5. You are confused

Kadima is not in the government.

Bibi did not take over for Ariel Sharon, Olmert did.

Netanyahu was never in Kadima - he's always been Likud.

[TomClash]

6. I rarely agree with Oberliner

But in this case he is right. Kadima left the Government last month.

[Ken Burch]

8. Sorry, but no, Likud's leading the government

Kadima was in the coalition for a month or so, then it left(or most of it did...I wonder if the rump former Kadima faction that stayed will end up joining...well, not really forces, but whatever remaining bits of strength they hold...with the rump former Labor faction that stayed in to keep Ehud Barak in the defense ministry?)

[LeftishBrit]

9. Likud, not Kadima.

Kadima were briefly -, for less than 3 months - in coalition with the Likud but not any more. Netanyahu is the leader of the Likud and is a dreadful Prime Minister in many ways.

For a while, the Labor Party were in coalition with the Likud (yes, really, and it's happened before), but eventually they split; the official Labor Party, led by Shelly Yachimovich, is in Opposition. Ehud Barak, the former leader of the party, together with some of his colleagues, founded a brand new breakaway party and stayed in the coalition.

You are right about Avigdor Lieberman. More generally, the Israeli political system has been distorted by almost-pure proportional representation, which means that small nutcase parties can and often do hold a government hostage. Pure proportional representation distorts democracy as much as the total lack of it (we in the UK are at that other extreme).

[AntiFascist]

7. Israel often seems to be very divided....

there's sometimes talk of civil war and even forming a separate Jewish state:

http://www.israeltoday.co.il/NewsItem/tabid/178/nid/23049/language/en-US/Default.aspx

...
"Others were more focused on the bigger picture and the deep and widening rift in Israeli society.
...
Aviner also pointed out that there are extremists in all sectors of Israeli society. It is important to note that Israeli leftists and anarchists join with Palestinian rioters in assaulting Israeli soldiers along the "West Bank" security fence on a weekly basis, but receive none of the condemnation and scorn heaped on the Hilltop Youth by the left-wing media and politicians.

It is that dichotomy to which Rabbi Amar was referring when he warned against the possibility of civil war."
...

[LeftishBrit]

10. Peres is an intelligent man. Netanyahu on the other hand...