may the candidate that can protect israel best be elected

Go Bibi!

Gateway Pundit will also be posting regular Israeli election updates here.

Apparently the Israelis don’t allow exit polls. From what I can gather they will start counting votes some time this afternoon.

הליכוד

I hope the Israelis are smarter than we were and they get someone more qualified than what we got.

I hope their candidate has more balls and brains than ours.

re: #6 Jetpilot1101

I hope the Israelis are smarter than we were and they get someone more qualified than what we got.

They could elect a goat and it would be better than we have

no sarc

Polls close at 10PM Israel time, or 3PM US Eastern time.

Is Hamas having a cease-fire for the election? Because they know rocket attacks would make the voters move right (and I mean that both in the political sense and in the sense of “correct”).

re: #8 ThinkRight

They could elect a goat and it would be better than we have

no sarc

If they did that, they may make progress on peace with the Palestinians.

re: #5 Emperor Norton

הליכוד

I can neither condone nor condemn that comment. It’s all Hebrew to me (I think).

Keep your eye on the Dead Chicagoan voting bloc.

Yes, I know…different countries…etc…but they aren’t entitled to vote over here, either, and that never stopped them.

re: #7 NYCHardhat

I hope their candidate has more balls and brains than ours.

0+1=1

Bibi! Bibi! Bibi!
/He’ll be MY president

re: #7 NYCHardhat

I hope their candidate has more balls and brains than ours.

I don’t know, I think Obama is all nuts.

re: #15 CommonCents

I don’t know, I think Obama is all nuts.

No, Michelle has those.

It means Likud.

re: #15 CommonCents

I don’t know, I think Obama is all nuts.

“you’re gonna love my nuts!” shamwow/slapchop guy

re: #9 Kosh’s Shadow

I think Hamas has already secured a victory for the Israeli right. If the idiots think that no rocket launches for a day is going to change things they are idiots.

re: #11 CommonCents

I can neither condone nor condemn that comment. It’s all Hebrew to me (I think).

The likud

re: #20 Nevergiveup

The likud

Then I approve!

re: #21 CommonCents

Then I approve!

I’m not sure who I would have voted for. I am not fan of Bibi’s but then neither am I of Livni?

The Muqata has a nifty description, with piccies, how the electing itself actually works …

And he’s got Barry Rubin live blogging it with him.

re: #4 Killgore Trout

Apparently the Israelis don’t allow exit polls. From what I can gather they will start counting votes some time this afternoon.

I don’t think that they release exit polls until the polls close. But as Carl pointed out, don’t expect them to be accurate.

Hamas: Cease-fire harder if Bibi wins

Go Bibi!

re: #25 dhg4

I don’t see the point in live blogging yet…the system in Israel is so different than ours…and the voting system? Oy!

Seriously, about 1 1/2 hours to go?

re: #19 Killgore Trout

We can only hope that the right does win.

It’s not just an election- it’s an IQ test.

If you can fail an IQ test- we failed ours in November. Hope they do better.

Actually in all fairness, my guest Professor Barry Rubin is doing most of the posting. I am more producing the show and making jokes from time to time :)

Meanwhile, feel free to come visit and post your questions

I read on the Muquata site that they will release exit polls at 10 pm Israel time, which is noon here on the West Coast.

Personally, I love Avigdor Lieberman’s campaign slogan: “He speaks Arabic”. He doesn’t speak a word of Arabic, if you get the drift. He’s the guy who wants to make everyone in Israel sign a loyalty oath to the country. Those who don’t sign can stay but lose the right to vote. I wonder how many Arabs would sign?

re: #5 Emperor Norton

הליכוד

Looks like hlykvd to me! Is the English pronunciation of the party name very different from the correct pronunciation? Why the Vav?

Please bear with me; my Hebrew is at the very beginning stages.

BIBI!

re: #31 israellycool

Meanwhile, feel free to come visit and post your questions

I have a question.

Considering what a miserable failure and appeasing oportunists they are, who in their right mind would vote for Kadima?

I admit it’s a trick question because no one in their right mind would have voted for Kadima last time.

re: #27 NY Nana

I don’t see the point in live blogging yet…the system in Israel is so different than ours…and the voting system? Oy!

Seriously, about 1 1/2 hours to go?

I thought someone wrote 4PM EST.

Carl’s been coming out with the percentages of those voting. I guess that’s news.

re: #34 Opinionated

Well, who in their right mind would have voted for Obama — or Pelosi — or Reid? Never underestimate the stupidity of the electorate.

re: #33 XMarine

Looks like hlykvd to me! Is the English pronunciation of the party name very different from the correct pronunciation? Why the Vav?

Please bear with me; my Hebrew is at the very beginning stages.

BIBI!

There are two ways to make the “oo” sound in Hebrew. One is the three diagonal dots below the letter, the other is with a dot inside the Vav. (The Vav can also be the source of the “oh” sound if the dot is on top.)

In Israel most of what’s written is without the vowelization.

re: #6 Jetpilot1101

I hope the Israelis are smarter than we were and they get someone more qualified than what we got.

It would be real hard to get anyone less qualified.

re: #26 Spare O’Lake

Hamas: Cease-fire harder if Bibi wins

Go Bibi!

I’m just going to point out that Barry Rubin doesn’t believe that there’s a major difference among the main candidates. While I think that Bibi will likely be a bit tougher than the others, I generally agree. After all it was the hawk, Sharon who pulled off disengagement. Since 1992, most Israeli PM’s - except Barak in 1999 and Olmert in 2006 - changed course from the platform he ran on. (Rabin was against a Palestinians state; Netanyahu was against withdrawing from Hebron; Sharon was against unilateral withdrawal from Gaza).

Even if Bibi wins, he may not be as tough as he campaigns.

re: #35 dhg4

Here is the info from Israel Matzav…the polls close at 10 PM Israel-time, which is 3 PM here..I counted it on my toes twice! ;)

Seriously, I am afraid to exhale until the results are in.

re: #39 dhg4

Even if Bibi wins, he may not be as tough as he campaigns.

Bingo!

re: #33 XMarine

The “vav” can be pronounced either as “v” or “o” or “oo”.

In “Likud” it is pronounced “oo”.

The “oo” is Sephardic. The Ashkenazic pronunciation is more like “ow”, but here in Israel all pronunciations follow the Sephardic.

…and now for something completely different:

This is why I don’t vacation in Europe

re: #37 dhg4

Thank you. I still need “training wheels” in the form of nikkud, but progress is being made.

Kol Hakavod Bibi!

re: #44 XMarine

I hear ya. I’ve been reading, writing and speaking (or at least praying) in Hebrew since I was a little LittleBenny, and the whole nikkud/no nikkud thing always gets me in the end. And when I come across a word I haven’t seen before…I pronounce it like a confused child. When I was in Israel, I would just play dumb and speak English most of the time so as not to embarrass myself in front of the sexy green-eyed chickies. I digress….

re: #43 LittleBenny

…and now for something completely different:

This is why I don’t vacation in Europe

Funny that you never see a headline:

Jews responsible for economic boom times!

re: #47 Opinionated

Why would jew haters write something that?

~snicker~

re: #43 LittleBenny

…and now for something completely different:

This is why I don’t vacation in Europe

ADL poll: 31% of Europeans blame Jews Jooooooooooooooooooooos for global financial crisis

Mesmerizing live coverage.
I love it!
Thanks, Israellycool!

re: #1 phoenixgirl

Netanyahu is the man

So, like most gangs, the threats by Hamas about an Election Day attack turned out to be empty. Right?

re: #40 NY Nana

Here is the info from Israel Matzav…the polls close at 10 PM Israel-time, which is 3 PM here..I counted it on my toes twice! ;)

Seriously, I am afraid to exhale until the results are in.

I’m wearing shoes, no wonder I got it wrong.
:-)

re: #53 dhg4

I’m wearing shoes, no wonder I got it wrong.
:-)

ROTFL! Oh, are you lucky I wasn’t drinking Fresca™ when I read that! There would have been a massive monitor spew!

41 minutes til the polls close.

Buh-bye, Olmert. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.

re: #34 Opinionated

I have a question.

Considering what a miserable failure and appeasing oportunists they are, who in their right mind would vote for Kadima?

I admit it’s a trick question because no one in their right mind would have voted for Kadima last time.

A lot of former Labor voters, disillusioned with the party, are veering to the right, and kadima is the smallest veer they have to make. In addition, you have to remember that both Barak and Bibi were Prime Ministers before, and both were very unpopular, so Livni seems like a compromise

Half an hour to go till (the inaccurate) exit polls.

re: #55 Cygnus

Buh-bye, Olmert. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.

Even if Bibi is elected and forms government Olmerde can stay until March- release all Hamas prisoners & give away Jerusalem.

9:59
BarryRubin: 29 Kadima 27 Likud 15 Lieberman
9:59
BarryRubin: remember this is not necessarily completely right
9:59
BarryRubin: 13 labor 10 shas 5 torah 4 meretz 4 hadash
10:00
BarryRubin: 4 beit yehudi 3 a loumi 3…sorry
10:00
BarryRubin: 56 left 64 right

re: #56 abaleh

Livni made mistake after incompetent mistake as FM. If that’s a compromise, I shudder to think what other compromises Israel is going to make.

Synopsis:

The center-left in Israel is scared about Iran, and thinks Livni is the better choice to deal with an Obama administration that most in Israel feel is necessary to deal with “Achmenijihad” or whatever his name is. Most Israelis have the same opinion about Hamas and the PA, so that’s a non-issue. Period. The center-left also hates Bibi, and really hates Lieberman, so there you go…Livni is likely to win, or at least be a part of the next government (as FM).

Ughh.

According to all exit polls (channels 1, 2, 10) Kadima won, but it’s very close, so it might be wrong. However, the right wing block won a great majority in the Knesset.

re: #55 Cygnus

Buh-bye, Olmert. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.

Olmert, don’t let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya.

You know, even though I will be accused of being a pig I think Tzipi is hot for a pol. Don’t care she is 50+ and has two kids - still not a bad lookin babe. Now as for her politics - well not so much and Bibi should get the nod but, if hot were all that mattered I know who I would vote for……..

/fightin off the brickbats

Iron Fist, you’re right. Of course the Arabs would sign, knowing it meant nothing to them.

Polls showing Kadima with 30, Likud with 28. Looks like Yisrael Beitenu has 15 or so, with Labor trailing with 13.

I hope Bibi can form a government.

Live blog is off as of 10:44, Daves time.