The run-up to the elections: a political history of the 2009 campaign
2010; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 16; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1080/13537120903461953
ISSN1743-9086
Autores Tópico(s)Jewish and Middle Eastern Studies
ResumoAbstract On 26 October 2008 President Shimon Peres called for new elections. The Knesset was dissolved on 11 November. Three candidates claimed that they were in the running for prime minister: Livni, Netanyahu and Barak. The election campaign would focus more on individuals than on parties. The security issue took high priority in the elections. A major issue throughout the campaign was the position of the leading parties on the establishment of two states for two peoples as part of a peace agreement. The internet became a major tool in the campaign. On the morning of 27 December, the IDF began a war in the Gaza Strip, which Israel called Operation Cast Lead. The major parties agreed to suspend their campaigns until the end of the war. Kadima's victory with 28 seats came as a surprise. The Likud came second with 27 seats, having lost voters at the end of the campaign to the third largest party Yisrael Beiteinu, which ended up with 15 Knesset seats. Looking back at the election campaign one can best define it as a broken and shortened one. Keywords: Election campaignOperation Cast LeadLivniNetanyahuBarakLiebermanFeiglinKadimaLikudLabourYisrael Beiteinu Acknowledgements The author would like to thank Emma Milman for her assistance in the research for this chapter. Notes 1. CNN, “Israel's Livni Scraps Coalition Efforts, Wants Early Elections,” CNN, October 26, 2008, http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/10/26/israel.politics/index.html. 2. Ibid. 3. Attila Somfalvi, “Livni Wins Kadima Primaries by a Narrow Margin,” Ynet, September 18, 2008, http://www.ynet.co.il/english/articles/0,7340,L-3598425,00.html. 4. Yossi Verter, “Haaretz Poll: Likud, Kadima Tied at 31; Labour Down to 10 Seats,” Ha'aretz, October 30, 2008, http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1032824.html. 5. Robert Berger, “Poll Shows Right Wing Winning Early Elections in Israel,” Voice of America, October 31, 2008, http://www.wwenglish.com/en/voa/stan/2008/10/2008110228286.htm. 6. Gil Hoffman, “Barak: Livni is ‘Honest’ but Unfit to be the Next Prime Minister,” Jerusalem Post, November 1, 2008, http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename = JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid = 1225199623139. 7. Yossi Verter, “Ex-Cabinet Minister Benny Begin Announces Return to Likud,” Jerusalem Post, November 2, 2008, http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1033522.html. 8. Hillel Fendel, “MK Elkin to Quit Kadima,” Israel National News, November 12, 2008, http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/128360. 9. Gil Hoffman, “A Political ‘Guide for the Perplexed’,” Jerusalem Post, January 1, 2008, http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid = 1230733138298&pagename = JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull. 10. Gil Hoffman, “Landau Joins Israel Beiteinu Because he ‘Can't Trust Likud’,” Jerusalem Post, November 17, 2008, http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid = 1226404753908&pagename = JPostpercent2FJPArticlepercent2FShowFull. 11. Gil Hoffman, “Ami Ayalon Set to Leave Labour Party,” Jerusalem Post, November 16, 2008. 12. Amnon Meranda, “Right-Wing Parties Unite,” Ynet, November 3, 2008, http://www.ynet.co.il/english/articles/0,7340,L-3617027,00.html. 13. Matthew Wagner, “National Union Splits from Habayit Hayehudi,” Jerusalem Post, December 25, 2008, http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid = 1230111707185&pagename = JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull. 14. Gil Hoffman, “Meretz MK Ran Cohen Quits Politics,” Jerusalem Post, November 1, 2008, http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename = JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid = 1225199621484. 15. 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