We Go to the Polls, Again

I usually refrain from writing about Israeli politics. I avoid discussing the subject but as Israelis go to the polls again*, for the second time this year, I can’t put my head in the sand to escape what’s going on. Every Israeli has a vote; every Israeli is responsible for the situation we’re in. Here is my viewpoint.

If you don’t know which party I’m voting for, you can see the ballot in the image (the photo was taken by a friend). Meretz is Israel’s left-wing, social-democratic and green political party. I’ve cast my vote for Meretz in every Israeli election that I’ve participated in.

I am comforted by the fact that as messed up as Israeli politics are, things are much worse in the US and the UK.

We will probably end up getting the extremist right-wing government we feared getting in April.

Bibi is not only fighting for his political survival. He is fighting to stay out of jail.

This time around, the campaign mud-slinging was much worse than last time.

Bibi has been behaving much, much worse than last time.

I don’t believe Bibi. I believe in the opposition, Israeli’s free media, the justice system, and the police. Our prime minister is corrupt, should be voted out of office, and then face the charges against him.

Bibi has always been like this, but he has gotten worse because he has Trump for a role model. So many things are similar - the arrogance; the hatred of the media; the “I can do nothing wrong” attitude; the use of social media for evil political purposes; the talk about migrants/Arabs invading/taking over the country.

Unfortunately, no one in the opposition is strong enough to take on Bibi - and that is because every politician has an ego. If all the opposition parties were united, there might have been a chance.

We've learned never to believe the pollsters.

Anything could happen and none of it is good.

The bottom line - I hope tomorrow will prove me wrong!!!


* Israel held general elections in April. Bibi (Benjamin Netanyahu) failed to form a governing coalition and the Knesset voted to dissolve itself and stage new elections.