Netanyahu declares victory, but Herzog in no hurry to concede

[Geee]

Times of Isreal:

TV exit polls Tuesday night showed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Likud set to retain the Israeli leadership at the end of a bitter election campaign.

 

Polling stations opened at 7 a.m. on Tuesday and Israeli citizens headed for the ballots to vote for Israel’s 20th Knesset. Polls from the end of last week had left options open for a tight race. The TV exit polls were published at 10 p.m., as polling stations closed, after which official results began to roll in. The official final results won’t be publicized until Thursday.

 

Netanyahu, vying for the role for his fourth time (third consecutively), had made a last-ditch attempt over the past days to win back voters mainly from the right-wing bloc, vowing Monday night to block a Palestinian state should he remain in office.

 

Unlike years past, analysts had said the race between Likud and Zionist Union, the two leading factions, was too close to call with confidence, but the exit polls showed Netanyahu clearly better placed to build the next coalition.

 

[Casino67]

Bibi has definitely won. My question is 'when will Obama call to congratulate him?'.

[Draggingtree]

Netanyahu hails ‘a great victory for our people,’ though Herzog in no hurry to concede

 

PM promises to build ‘national camp’ coalition as quickly as possible; Zionist Union not admitting defeat; TV exit polls show Likud well-placed to build coalition; 71.8% turnout highest since 1999

 

BY JONATHAN BECK AND HAVIV RETTIG GUR March 17, 2015, 7:20 am

Polling stations opened at 7 a.m. on Tuesday and Israeli citizens headed for the ballots to vote for Israel’s 20th Knesset. Polls from the end of last week had left options open for a tight race. The TV exit polls were published at 10 p.m., as polling stations closed, after which official results began to roll in. The official final results won’t be publicized until Thursday.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/ballot-stations-open-as-israelis-choose-new-leadership/

[Valin]

Netanyahu’s victory

Scott Johnson

March 18, 2015

 

I don’t profess any insight into Benjamin Netanyahu’s victory in the Israeli elections yesterday. He will in all likelihood become Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, exceeding the time in office of David Ben-Gurion, and his new term, when he assembles the coalition he needs to proceed, should give him political life after Obama. As John Podhoretz puts it in his New York Post column this morning: “He gambled his entire career and he won, just as he did with the speech in front of Congress earlier this month.” Hearty congratulations are in order.

 

Like the Iranians, Israelis have President Obama’s number. The Iranians know him for a chump who can be taken to the cleaners. They know he seeks to elevate Iran to “a very successful regional power.” The regime is happy to cooperate with him. Iran yearns for global domination, but it will take the region for starters. It’s a good beginning.

 

The Israelis know Obama “has their back,” as Obama puts it — so he can place his knife neatly in it. We can be certain that Obama is not amused by the outcome last night. He did his best to avert it. Obama means to have the last laugh and will do damage to Israel while he still can.

 

(Snip)

[Valin]

Bibi has definitely won. My question is 'when will Obama call to congratulate him?'.

 

 

The real question (assuming he does call) is Will He Really Mean It. There are those of us who (with good reason) suspect he doesn't.

[Geee]

NEW YORK TIMES WHINES ABOUT NETANYAHU

 

On Tuesday, before the final results of the Israeli election were tabulated, the New York Times, in utter disbelief that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might survive the manifold efforts by the Obama Administration and the leftist media to destroy him, released a piece that savaged the Israeli prime minster, with numerous figures whining about the tactics Netanyahu used to retain his post.

 

Some examples include:

 

“…there was a cloud over his apparent turnaround, the result of an increasingly shrill campaign that raised questions about his ability to heal Israel’s internal wounds or better its standing in the world.”

“…even while his critics said Mr. Netanyahu had reaffirmed his reputation as a cynical, calculating politician…”

The Gray Lady was upset about Netanyahu’s defiance of Barack Obama and European leaders: “But along the way he angered the president of the United States with a speech to Congress and infuriated European leaders …”

 

The NYT quoted Obama’s former Svengali, David Axelrod, whining on Twitter, “Tightness of exits in Israel suggests Bibi’s shameful 11th-hour demagoguery may have swayed enough votes to save him. But at what cost?” The NYT added, “And in a seemingly desperate bid to rally support halfway through the balloting, he went on a tirade against Israel’s Arab citizens… Opponents accused him of baldfaced racism.”

http://www.breitbart.com/big-journalism/2015/03/18/new-york-times-whines-about-netanyahu/

[Geee]

WH Aide Doesn’t Even Say ‘Netanyahu’ in Generic Congratulations

 

White House Aide David Simas managed to make the current chilly US-Israel relationship even colder on CNN this morning. When reporter Alisyn Camerota asked Simas for a response from the Obama administration on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Likud government’s win in Tuesday’s Israel elections, he offered them a less-than-convincing congratulations.

 

"We want to congratulate the Israeli people for the democratic process for the election that they just engaged in with all the parties that engaged in that election. As you know now, the hard work of coalition building begins. Sometimes that takes a couple of weeks. And we're going to give space to the formation of that coalition government and we're not going to weigh in one way or another except to say that the United States and Israel have a historic and close relationship and that will continue going forward," Simas said.

http://townhall.com/tipsheet/cortneyobrien/2015/03/18/wh-aide-doesnt-even-say-netanyahu-in-generic-congratulations-n1972521

 

 

As of yet the Pouter in Chief has yet to call to congratulate.

[Valin]

WH Aide Doesn’t Even Say ‘Netanyahu’ in Generic Congratulations

 

White House Aide David Simas managed to make the current chilly US-Israel relationship even colder on CNN this morning. When reporter Alisyn Camerota asked Simas for a response from the Obama administration on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Likud government’s win in Tuesday’s Israel elections, he offered them a less-than-convincing congratulations.

 

"We want to congratulate the Israeli people for the democratic process for the election that they just engaged in with all the parties that engaged in that election. As you know now, the hard work of coalition building begins. Sometimes that takes a couple of weeks. And we're going to give space to the formation of that coalition government and we're not going to weigh in one way or another except to say that the United States and Israel have a historic and close relationship and that will continue going forward," Simas said.

http://townhall.com/tipsheet/cortneyobrien/2015/03/18/wh-aide-doesnt-even-say-netanyahu-in-generic-congratulations-n1972521

 

 

As of yet the Pouter in Chief has yet to call to congratulate.

 

Barry's Folks...Keeping It Classy...As Always!