‘New Golda Meir’ Tzipi Livni wins election to be Prime Minister after extra time

[Wetzelbill]

Source: Times online

Touted as the new Golda Meir, former Mossad agent-turned-politician Tzipi Livni emerged tonight as Israel’s second woman prime minister, less than a decade after she first entered parliament.

Israeli television stations announced that exit polls showed a victory for the 50-year-old mother of two in Kadima party elections to choose a successor to Ehud Olmert, the scandal-hit outgoing premier. In her campaign nerve centre, cheers and applause erupted for Ms Livni, who favours a quick peace deal with the Palestinians and who seemed assured of a sound first-round victory.

Exit polls gave her between 47 and 49 percent, while her main rival, Transport Minister Shaul Mofaz, a more conservative and hawkish ex-general, was set to garner only around 37 percent.

Ms Livni has run a successful Barack Obama-style campaign as the candidate for change, while Mr Mofaz was perceive to be less likely to commit to any of the comprises that backers of a swift peace accord deem necessary to end decades of conflict.



Read more: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article4776486.ece

[Windy]

1. Thank god ... no netanyahu n/t

[11cents]

7. Netanyahu is not part of Kadima

Livni won the leadership election for the Kadima Party, but Netanyahu, as head of the Likud, could still win the next general election. Unfortunately.

(Maybe you meant that Livni has a better chance of beating Netanyahu than the alternative candidates, which is probably correct.)

[Journeyman]

2. Oh, man, I really wanted someone to ask Sarah Palin . . .

her opinion of the Kadima runoff between Tzipi Livni and S. Mofaz.

Her befuddled blank-eyed look to that query would have been priceless.

[Wetzelbill]

4. "In what respect, Journey?"

:rofl:

[Dover]

3. I posted on her over a year ago, pondering why so many people rising to power were formerly

intelligence officers or strongly connected. (Bushes, Putin, Gates, etc.)

She's also a protege of Ariel Sharon.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=124&topic_id=164986



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tzipi_Livni

[Indenturedebtor]

5. Probably because nearly everyone serves over there

And you don't get into Mossad without being a badass. Sort of like street cred as it were.

This is good news!

[Seedersandleechers]

6. Imagine

An election where the exit polls are correct.

[Kaleko]

8. Hope for a lasting peace accord with the Palestinians

wells up in my bosom. Don't disappoint me now, fuckers!

[aquart]

10. Yeah, it's the Israelis that have been preventing that.

LOL!

[Indenturedebtor]

11. That's the meme isn't it heheh

You also might get a laugh out of some of the stuff about Israel causing all of our wars, controlling our government and media, creating deadly viruses to take us out etc. That stuff is even funnier. No really it cracks me up :rofl:

[Kaleko]

12. If making assumptions that aren't even implied makes you laugh,

please go ahead. By all means, keep laughing at yourself.

[Wetzelbill]

13. both

Maybe Israel is a touch worse sometimes, certainly much more violent, but they both blow it.

[BunkerHill24]

15. Israel could just pack up and leave the territories

[question everything]

17. Right. Like it left Gaza two years ago and has been bombarded

every day since.

Oh, and in case you are not aware, Israel was attacked, first, and the other side lost. So imagine that, Israel would first like to have a real peace agreement before it gives back territories. Imagine that, it does not want the center of its population to be less than 8 miles away from missiles.

[Wetzelbill]

19. well yeah but they fenced the whole area off

And have conducted bombardments of their own. It's not like they are totally innocent either. Those people are harshly oppressed in Gaza, what would any of us do, just take it? They can't even leave Gaza to get medical care, even people who are against the bombardment of Israel start being for them after awhile. And when did Israel get attacked first? You'd have to be specific. If anything the origin of the problems with Gaza would have been when Israel preemptively attacked and then occupied them in 1967. Whether that attack was justified or not is debatable, certainly the occupation wasn't justified, just look at how horribly wrong things have gone since. The fact is occupied people will fight back and that's what's happening. Is it all Israel's fault, no, but they aren't innocent either. And they kill up to three to four times as many civilians as any of the Palestinian groups do too. They are harsh and repressive and do more than their fair share of continuing this awful cycle.

[question everything]

26. Israel did not seal the border until the attacks started

Israel left plenty of orchards and homes and light industry for the Gazans to enjoy, instead they chose to destroy all of them, as they did when the Sinai was returned some 20 years ago. Talking about cutting your nose to spite your face.

And why is the border with Egypt sealed? They are supposedly their breathers.

You may have a doubt in your mind about whether Israel was attacked first in 1967. Blockading an important water channel to chock a country is an act of war. Here, of course, we are boarded by two oceans so we will never feel anything like that and how smug we can be at condemning other counties. Tiny Israel would have had no chance against the massive Soviet tanks marching into it. But, again, how much we would have loved to mourn the demise of the young country, the fresh experiments of a country built on social justice, the "blooming of the desert."

Perhaps we would have tried to help the Israeli refugees re settle someplace else, only to repeat the Evian Conference and to find out that no one would be interesting in absorbing the Jews

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evian_Conference

Israel is not a Christian country; it does not turn the other cheek. As much as DUers foam at the mouth at the "audacity" of Israel to defend itself, it is not going to ask anyone's permission, thank you.

Oh, and about Palin saying that she was not going to "second guess" Israel's hypothetical decision to attack Iran, do you really think that Obama or any other main stream Democrat (except for self-aggrandized Kucinich) would have given a different answer?

[The Stranger]

23. That's bullshit. Israel has not been "bombarded every day since."

And Israel was not "attacked first, and the other side lost." That is also utter lying bullshit, and it has no place here on DU.

Israel has been involved in many wars with her neighbors and actually started at least one of them. Israel has also been occupying her neighbors, some of them for decades.

Those she has stopped occupying have not immediately and suddenly tried to destroy Israel, but that is another lie propagated fairly regularly.

[question everything]

25. No, your continuing ignorance and hatred of Israel has no place on DU

Why not go and read some history, besides the usual propaganda?

Egypt's Nasser kicked the UN peace keeping force and blockaded the Straits of Tiran. This is an act of war.
Show me a single nation that would not consider this.

Still, Israel waited for three weeks for diplomacy, watching as Egypt mounted massive attack forces in the Sinai. Then Israel decided to preempt that attack. Yes, it would have had no chance against the massive Soviet tanks.

Still, Syria and Jordan decided to join and attack Israel - this is attacking first, Israel did not attack either - and they lost.

As for being bombarded by Gaza daily, read reports from reputable sources, like, well the New York Times.

And it is interesting that Egypt has sealed the border of Gaza from its side - that no one is whining about - yet is perfectly happy with smuggling arms from its side to Gaza.

And then you have Hamas taking over Gaza and pretty much massacred the Fatah leaders but I suppose this is OK with you, too.

Always amazes me that DU is happy with groups with the name of god in their names like Hezbollah and Hamas, at the expense of a secular group like Fatah.

Perhaps you belong on a freeper board, where praising god is a normal event.

[The Stranger]

37. You went right to it, didn't you? You knew that Israel preemptively started war with Egypt.

I don't have to show you jack shit regarding "a single nation that would not consider this." You have done so yourself.

Why not go and read some history, besides the usual propaganda?

That is, unfortunately, what I find myself providing here -- the history to counter the bullshit propaganda.

Always amazes me that DU is happy with groups with the name of god in their names like Hezbollah and Hamas, at the expense of a secular group like Fatah.

Israel fostered the growth of and supported Hamas to undermine Fatah's power and authority over the Palestinians. This is well-documented. Unfortunately, Hamas eventually rose to power, took over Gaza and vanquished Fatah.

Perhaps you belong on a freeper board, where praising god is a normal event.

As for the rest of your pathetic ad hominem attacks, just suffice it to say that accusing someone of being a freeper is against the rules. And you must not know me very well.

[question everything]

39. Oh, wow, How come you did not hit the alert

to cry to mommy that I sent you to the freeper board? (And, yes, this is news to me, seeing so many people here called trolls and being offered a pizza..)

Perhaps you can show the documentation, from a reliable source, that Israel "fostered the growth of Hamas."

And, yes, Israel, had a right for a preemptive strike against Egypt. It blockaded the Straits of Tiran and amassed large convoy of Soviet tanks.

But, no. The Jews who established the State of Israel are not allowed to be strong and victorious. No, they have to continue to be the victims and being run over by Soviet tanks, cutting Israel by half - are you even familiar with the Israeli map? - would have created a wave of regrets and mercy to help the poor Israeli refugees. Perhaps even conferring an Evian Conference http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evian_Conference to show, again, that no one wants the Jews in their own borders.

Well, Israel really does not give a shit about what you and yours are thinking about it.

So you can continue to spew your ignorance and hatred safely ensconced behind a computer board, never having to face an enemy up close and personal, never knowing anyone who, yes, put "Country First' to die in the battlefield to assure the safety of his country.

Oh, one more point. You and yours conveniently ignore the other two countries, Jordan and Syria that did attack Israel and lost, and those territories are still waiting to be negotiated for a real peace.

[LeftishBrit]

20. I interpreted 'fuckers' as referring to the leaders on both sides...

not just the Israelis.

I hope they do come to an agreement; and keep to it. And I hope that the replacement of lame duck Olmert with a stronger leader - and one who seems to really want a peace agreement - will help! Unfortunately, as we all know, there are huge divisions on the Palestinian side, and Abbas is in a very weak position.

[The Stranger]

22. That is such a non-sequiter, that it seems to betray true feelings.

He never singled out the Israelis as preventing peace -- but you did.

[Kaleko]

9. Dupe

[Cronopio]

14. Good job, Israeli voters!

I'm glad Olmert is finally out and especially glad Mofaz was routed.

Next, boot Bush and rout McCain.

[IndianaGreen]

16. Mofaz demands a partial recount (Haaretz)

Last update - 04:40 18/09/2008

Livni wins Kadima primary by narrow margin

By Haaretz Staff and News Agencies

Olmert wished Livni good luck and told her she would receive his full cooperation in passing on the role of leadership in the event she is capable of establishing a coalition. The two planned to meet later this week.

Exit polls by Israel's three major TV stations put Livni on 47-49 percent of the vote in the election for the new Kadima leader, negating a second round of voting to replace Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and making her the next likely premier.

Livni's main rival for the leadership of the ruling party, Shaul Mofaz, the hardline transportation minister and former army chief, was predicted to have won 37 percent of the vote.

The exit polls awarded the two other candidates, Meir Sheetrit and Avi Dichter, 7 percent each.

The Mofaz campaign said it would urge a partial vote recount, citing election fraud which is allegedly backed by evidence.

"The results are amazingly close to each other," Mofaz associates said.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1022137.html

[BrklynLiberal]

18. That is great news. This reflects the yearning for Peace by the people of Israel.

[Javaman]

21. ...

Touted as the new Golda Meir, former Mossad agent-turned-politician Tzipi Livni emerged tonight as Israel’s second woman prime minister.

enough said.

[LeftishBrit]

27. As far as I know, she was a very low-level agent in her early 20s...

possibly related to her military service (which is compulsory in Israel).

It's not exactly as though she were the Israeli equivalent of Daddy Bush, or something.

[Javaman]

28. True, but anyone that has a history of working for Isreals "CIA" always sets off alarms to me.

[Behind the Aegis]

29. That shows your prejudice.

[Javaman]

30. How so? because I don't trust anyone that works for a secret agency????

nice non sequitor but it doesn't work.

would you then call me anti-spy????

go away.

[robcon]

31. If you base your trust on whether someone worked for the CIA or Mossad,

you're biased.

Javaman: "because I don't trust anyone that works for a secret agency????"

Exactly.

[Javaman]

32. Well no duh!!! you said, "That shows your prejudice."

there is a VAST difference between being prejudice and being bias.

[Behind the Aegis]

33. Ummm...you do realize the above poster is NOT me.

Also, there is not a VAST difference between "being prejudice (sic) and being bias (sic)".

[Javaman]

34. You called me prejudice when I was clearly showing bias.

we have enough spies in all our governments. It would be so totally refreshing to have someone elected that was outside the government, regardless of nation.

[Behind the Aegis]

35. You did show prejudice.

Prejudice: any preconceived opinion or feeling, either favorable or unfavorable. Does that not sum up what you said and feel? And yes, you were showing bias as well. Bias: a particular tendency or inclination, esp. one that prevents unprejudiced consideration of a question; prejudice.

You continue to show your prejudice/bias with your comment, "we have enough spies in all our governments". Because she was a member of Mossad she is still a "spy?"

On edit: You should also be made clear to understand I didn't call you prejudiced, I said your post showed your "prejudice," no "d."

[Javaman]

36. screw you. If you feel you must justify your ridiculous accusation at this point..

then you are blocked.

and one more thing, your star of david shows no bias on your part either, huhh?

jeez loueeeeeeez.

[Behind the Aegis]

38. How sad, but typical.

Unable to debate or use facts to justify your postion, instead you pretend you are a victim. Well, you are a victim...of your own ignorance.

[bikebloke]

24. They need new faces in government.

When I was working there in the early 80's, that was the major complaint about Israeli politics. Always the same faces. Like they were playing musical chairs.