Netanyahu wins party mandate for alliance with far right

[jsr]

Source: Reuters

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday overcame opposition within his party to an alliance with a far-right group that opinion polls predict will help him triumph in a January election.

Netanyahu had angered many Likud party faithful with a surprise announcement on Thursday of the merger with Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman's ultra-nationalist party.

Some of Likud's 3,700-member ruling body tried to stall the vote by petitioning for a secret ballot, but the alliance won a quick show of hands after Netanyahu pledged in a speech that the move would "not change Likud" or supplant its leadership.

"I've got news for you, I intend to lead Israel for many years to come," he said to loud applause in a packed Tel Aviv auditorium.

Read more: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-rt-us-israel-netanyahu-politicsbre89s0vo-20121029,0,7448106.story

[sofa king]

1. Who knew there was a farther right than he?

Yes, I did know, but it's still a good question, I think.

[LeftishBrit]

2. Ugh just ugh

The one good thing about it is that maybe it means that the voters will see sense and that he WON'T 'lead Israel for many years to come'. That statement reminds me a bit of Thatcher announcing her intention to 'go on and on and on!' shortly before ending up being deposed by her own party.

At least the Tories are not currently in alliance with the BNP or similar parties. (And let's not give them the idea...) But alas, the American Republicans are in essence in alliance with the Teabaggers. Ugh just ugh, once again.

[krkaufman]

5. right.

The announcement makes me wonder why he'd need to make some new alliance with the far right.

[radhika]

3. Israel is surely using up the good Karma it earned over the ages...

this nation is rapidly becoming a threat to the well-being of the world.

[pscot]

4. When I hear "far right"

certain very ugly and tragic historical associations come to mind.

[Ash_F]

6. Anything to cling to power.

Just like Romney