10 days to Israeli elections...ho hum. Because I will probably not be providing information I defer to those who will: Lisa's posting at The Guardian's newsblog or Shai's or this ad campaign video about lessening the religious grip.
My pal Jeff the journalist gave me a very interesting schpiel last night covering economics, politics, foreign policy and domestic social reform vis a vis the parties and election. He told who he will probably vote for by process of eliminating the parties distasteful to him. He also informed that where at one time it was okay to ask people who they were casting for, it's no longer cool.
But you know what? It's Saturday and the weather is beautiful. So enjoy a second-hand glimpse of Tel Aviv's Saturday beach flockers...
3 comments:
I have a feeling that I'll also be using that elimination method to decide which party will get my vote. No one party makes my socks roll up and down, but I feel obligated to cast my vote one way or another, so I guess I'll be forced to make a decision. Sigh...
I think the sock rolling bit, as you put it, is popular sentiment and the reason this is being referred to as a ho-hum election. You'd think with a new party and the newly elected Hamas leadership on the plate it would be intriguing. Go figure.
I think it might be more exciting if Ariel Sharon were still involved. Kadima would be a stronger force with him at the helm, and instead, we've got a party that is swimming aimlessly with a leader who, in his wildest dreams, probably never expected to become prime minister. Also, Sharon's incapacitation seems to have taken the wind out of the sails of Israeli politics (not sure what's up with the water analogies, but they just keep coming) to some extent, and Hamas' victory has turned negotiations with the Palestinians into a non-issue for now. "All" that's left are security and social welfare issues, and both are predictable across the board and terribly unsexy. The biggest, most controversial issue has been blown off the table, more or less, and people don't get excited about the other stuff unless it touches them personally.
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