Israeli governing parties face poll battering amid Gaza scepticism

[Emit]

~snip~

Despite a war that left 1,300 Palestinians dead and reduced much of Gaza to rubble, the coalition headed by Kadima party leader, Tzipi Livni and the Labour party chief Ehud Barak, has failed to make ground on Netanyahu, who argues that Hamas should be purged from Gaza.

A poll conducted for Haaretz newspaper at the weekend predicted that Likud and its allies would win 65 seats in the elections, giving it a 12-seat advantage over the centre-left parties, which are expected to capture just 53 of the 120 parliamentary seats up for grabs.

"Forty-one per cent said that the war was a success and 41% said it wasn't," said Tel Aviv University professor Camil Fuchs, who conducts a poll for Haaretz newspaper and Channel 10.

The war has served to boost the importance of Netanyahu's key campaign issue - national security - and the debate about its aftermath has strengthened his hand.

"Of those who said it wasn't a success, 37% said it was because they didn't finish Hamas off while 31% said it wasn't a success because they didn't bring home Gilad Shalit," Fuchs said. Some 11% said the government failed because of the high number of Palestinian casualties.

As rockets continued to fall on southern Israel, bitter divisions emerged within the cabinet yesterday over how to reach a more effective truce with Hamas. The Islamists are considering an Egyptian proposal for a one-year agreement with Israel that would take effect on Thursday.

~snip~

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/feb/02/israel-palestine-gaza-elections

~snip~

Like most of you, we live in a constant internal conflict: I am a jew with almost-extreme left-wing political views, I respect all people and especially my neighbors, and my dream is to live and grow my kids in my peaceful country, and to be able to travel Beit-Lehem, Lebanon, Syria and so on. I am also a soldier that will do what is needed to protect my family and country against those who try to physically harm them.

It is easy to see that the fascist powers in Israel gain strength whenever we sense a threat - be it a Qasam rocket or cries for our destruction from Iran. I believe that this is also true in the other direction - whenever Israel acts in an aggressive way the extreme Islamists gain power. This is very destructive for all of us, and I hope our nations will find the way to reject those who seek violence and death.

Let us handle our fascists, and you handle yours, before it is too late.
Shalom and Salam,
Reshef

http://www.palestineremembered.com/MissionStatement.htm

[Idealism]

1. Interesting tidbit

"Some 11% said the government failed because of the high number of Palestinian casualties."

At least 11% of those surveyed worry about Palestinians and believe that Israel crossed the line.

[LeftishBrit]

2. Interesting and worrying report

Reshef's comment is very interesting, and makes the point that I have often tried to express here: that the actions of the Israeli Right and Palestinian Right simply reinforce each other.

I certainly hope that the Likud and its extremist likely coalition partners do NOT get into power!