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Sharon Melt Down

Sometimes, our dreams come true. Over a month ago, Likud's Coming Mandate depressingly showed that the Likud was heading toward a mandate-like victory, while the Labor Party under Mitzna seemed too idealistic to materialize. That's changing.

In the latest Haaretz poll leading up to the January 28th election, Likud is rapidly losing support, and now stands to win 27 seats, down from 41 seats in polling done last month:

Various people in the Likud, including ministers, said Tuesday night that the Haaretz report could become a new snowball that could fatally roll over the Likud, stripping it of more votes.

Let it be true. Billmon in Sharongate, will give you the details on Sharon's meltdown. Personally, I think this has just as much to do with the public seeing Sharon's foreign policy positions fail with one bombing after another (the latest being right before the poll was taken), than just the drip drip drip of another Sharon scandal. It's probably a combination of the two events.

The Talking Dog has been following the coming Israeli elections, and the J-Post Election 2003 webpage is a good source for following the campaign; including an article on the inept status of the Green Party in Israel.

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Jerome Armstrong on Jan 8 @ 2:56 PM | TrackBack
Comments

When a leader asks his people to sacrifice in a time of war (like Sharon is) to pursue an aggressive policy, he'd damn well better have moral authority. When he shows himself to put his own interests over the law, support will melt away like an early snow.

But as for this being a repudiation of the policy, that would depend on where the support is going. Is it Labour picking up the support, MyDD? If they are getting the bulk of it, it would certainly seem that the Israeli people are ready to consider a new way.

Posted by: Brian on January 9, 2003 09:54 AM

Right now, it's a toss-up. It's going to be a coaltion government, but probably not a national. The center-left is only 1-2 shy of having a majority, and has the momentum. Shinui and Labor both have picked up seats in the polls on the left, probably Shas on the right while Likud support is dropping.

Posted by: MyDD on January 9, 2003 11:04 AM

Wow, a center-left coalition in Israel and Likud out of the government. First, that's great news in and of itself. Second, will the Bush administration have a single friend in the world after this? How's their relations with the Uzbeks?

Posted by: Brian on January 9, 2003 12:47 PM

Unbelievable. A month ago, he had a higher approval rating than GW. Of course some terrorist idiots could still provide the fodor for a likud landslide...well then again, terrorists would rather have likud than labor. Israel would be a permanent economic basketcase...ok as long as uncle sam doles out the money and keeps it afloat.

Posted by: Analyst on January 9, 2003 07:03 PM
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