elections2015

U.S. President Barak Obama meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington (White House photo)

Obama, Netanyahu and the Palestinian conflict: What’s next?

Something indeed changed in the Israel-U.S. relationship, the question is what actions will the U.S. take and how Netanyahu reacts — from the Security Council to Gaza. I just got back from the annual J Street conference. The atmosphere was very different from the 2013 conference. Back then it was all about the Kerry mission.…

By Noam Sheizaf March 31, 2015

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaking at the AIPAC Policy Conference in Washington DC, US, March 2 2015 (Amos Ben Gershom/ GPO)

With Netanyahu, confrontations are a feature, not a bug

Netanyahu believes he can impress Israelis by standing up to the world on his signature political issue. Previous rifts with the White House paid off for him — this time might be different. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will claim to represent the Jewish people in his speech before Congress Tuesday, but the fact of the…

By Noam Sheizaf March 3, 2015

Speaker Boehner holds a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Congressional leaders following his address to a joint meeting of Congress. May 24, 2011. (Speaker Boehner / CC-BY NY 2.0)

Ahead of close elections, Congress gives Bibi a prime-time appearance

The senator from Jerusalem will take all the help he can get these days. House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) today invited Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address a joint session of Congress on February 11. Coincidently, Netanyahu’s speech will take place a month and a half before the Israeli elections. According to most polls, Netanyahu…

By Noam Sheizaf January 21, 2015

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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. (photo: Oren Ziv/Activestills.org)

Election analysis: A shared Netanyahu-Herzog government?

Herzog and Bibi’s political interests and the fragmented Knesset that is likely to emerge after the elections might force Likud and Labor into a power-sharing deal. Avigdor Liberman and President Rivlin already support the idea. The Israeli Labor Party, which will participate in the upcoming election under the banner of “The Zionist Camp,” held its…

By Noam Sheizaf January 15, 2015

May Day demonstration, May 1, 2013, Tel Aviv. (Photo by Shiraz Grinbaum/Activestills.org)

Should a joint Arab list trump Jewish-Arab unity? Not so fast

The temptation of the Arab parties to unite in order to form a stronger political bloc is great. Everyone wants to give Liberman the election surprise of a lifetime. But what is the cost? By Sinai Peter Israel’s upcoming elections came out of nowhere. Despite the early warnings and the raising of the electoral threshold…

By +972 Magazine January 14, 2015

The United Nations Security Council, December 30, 2014. (UN Photo/Loey Felipe)

Security Council’s election message to Israelis: Keep ignoring the occupation

Israel and Washington together blocked a UN Security Council resolution calling for the implementation of a negotiated two-state solution within a year. Abbas’s diplomatic efforts have hit a brick wall. The Israeli government came out with the upper hand yesterday at the United Nations Security Council: a joint effort by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S.…

By Noam Sheizaf December 31, 2014

African asylum seekers jailed in Holot detention center protest behind the prison's fence, as other asylum seekers take part in a protest outside the facility, in Israel's southern Negev desert, February 17, 2014.

Asylum seekers to stay in prison while Israelis hit the polls

Human rights organizations pledge to challenge the latest iteration of the Prevention of Infiltration Law; new poll gives Livni and Labor a chance; Arab parties agree in principle to a joint list; High Court to hear Zoabi’s challenge to Knesset suspension. Before disbanding itself ahead of elections, the Knesset on Monday passed its third try…

By Michael Schaeffer Omer-Man December 8, 2014

Benjamin Netanyahu. (photo: Activestills.org)

Pundits’ consensus: Netanyahu is vulnerable

Are we nearing the end of King Bibi’s reign? Much of that depends on his allies, his rivals and the determination of international actors to address the disastrous trends on the ground. In 2009 and 2013 it was easy to call who the next prime minister would be a month before the polls opened in Israel.…

By Noam Sheizaf December 7, 2014