A Blogging Milestone: 5000 Visits

At 5:44pm yesterday, this blog reached another milestone - 5,000 visits.

From its inception on July 31st, 2008, we have covered a wide variety of issues, some of which are listed below.

• The 2008 Election, including our series of Oklahoma-based polls, and our Bought and Paid For: Jim Roth series
• Muskogee-area Politics
• The RNC Chair Race
• The Israeli Parliamentary Elections
• The Continuing Israeli-Arab/Palestinian Conflicts
  
• The OKGOP Chair Race and Caucus Vote
  
• Global Warming, and the rising prominence of Czech Pres. Vaclav Klaus
• KFAQ's Firing of Chris Medlock
  
• The 2010 Gubernatorial Election
• The 2009 Tea Parties

I would like to take the opportunity to thank you for reading my blog. Due to your visits, this blog has been ranked as high as 3rd on the BlogNetNews.com/Oklahoma Influence Index, and is currently ranked 10th on the 12-week rolling average - a pretty good accomplishment. You as readers have also left 138 comments.

None of this would have happened without you, and I thank you all again. I hope that you will continue to read this blog in the future.

Sincerely,

Jamison Faught
The Muskogee Politico Blogmaster

Labor To Be Included In Netanyahu Coalition

The Muskogee Politico's Israel Update

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Israeli Prime Minister designate Binyamin Netanyahu will have at least a 66-seat majority coalition in the Knesset. Today, the Labor Party's Central Committee voted 680 to 507, giving Labor the green light to join Netayahu's coalition.

With Labor's 13 seats, along with the ultra-religious Shas Party's 11 seats, the 15 seats of ultra-nationalistic (and predominately Russian immigrant) Yisrael Beitenu, and Likud's 27 MKs, Netanyahu guaranteed 66 seats. With the addition of Labor, Netanyahu's government will be decidedly more centrist, as the other potential coalition partners (Jewish Home, United Torah Judaism, and Nation Union) were much more nationalistic, and on the right wing of Israeli politics.

In the agreement, Ehud Barak (Labor chairman) will retain his Defense Ministry post.

Latest Israeli Results

Here are the latest results from the Israeli elections as of 4:15pm CST (taken from Arutz Sheva):

Results updated to: 12:15 a.m. (4:15pm CST)

Nationalist/Religious Bloc	Knesset Seats
Likud	25
Yisrael Beiteinu (Israel Is Our Home)	15
Ichud Leumi (National Union)	4
Bayit Yehudi (Jewish Home)	4
Shas	11
United Torah Judaism	4
Total for Nationalist/Religious Bloc	63
Left-wing Bloc
Kadima	27
Labor	13
Meretz	4
Ra'am Ta'al (Arab party)	3
Balad (Arab party)	2
Hadash (Arab/Jewish party)	2
Total for Left-wing Bloc	54

Initial Reports: Kadima Leads, but Right beats Left

According to initial exit polls and results, Tzipi Livni's Kadima party leads Binyamin Netanyahu's Likud by about 2 mandates (seats). Avigdor Lieberman's Yisrael Beiteinu is currently being reported as having 14-15 mandates, and Ehud Barak's Labor party is fourth, with about 13.

So far, the exit polls say...

Right-wing parties:

• Likud: 27-28
  
• Yisrael Beiteinu: 14-15
  
• Shas: 9-10
• National Union: 3
• Jewish Home: 3-4
• United Torah Judaism: 5

Other left-wing parties:

• Kadima: 28-30
  
• Labor: 13
  
• Meretz: 4-5
• Ra'am Ta'al (Arab): 2-4
• Balad (Arab): 2-3
• Hadash (Arab): 4, or none

That gives the right-wing, most likely supporting Netanyahu for Prime Minister, 61-65 mandates, and the left-wing, supporting Livni, about 49-59 seats. However, there are rumors that the Arab parties may not join any coalition, protesting the banning of other Arab parties considered to be "anti-Israel". If so, the left-wing could potentially receive as few as 45 seats.

This gives Netanyahu a very good chance at becoming the next Prime Minister, in spite of Likud coming in second to Kadima.

Updates will be provided when they come in.

Israeli Polls Have Closed

The Israeli polls closed at 10pm Israel time (2pm CST). Results will be forthcoming. See my post here for more information, and a link to live coverage (in English) of the returns.

Editorial on Israeli Race

Here's one reason to hope Benjamin Netanyahu beats Tzipi Livni for Prime Minister in Israel: Haaretz's editorial endorsing Livni.

If Haaretz is against Bibi, that a great reason to support him.

Live Coverage of the Israeli Elections

The polls in Israel will close at 10:00pm local time; 3:00 Oklahoma time. If you want to follow the elections results live, Israel National News' website will have a live broadcast in English (located here).

We hope for a Likud/Bibi Netanyahu victory, but also for a strong showing by other right wing parties such as Yisrael Beiteinu, National Union, Jewish Home, and United Torah Judaism. A strong conservative faction of the Knesset will ensure a strong, conservative Prime Minister Netanyahu.

Livni to Call for Elections

On the Israeli political front...

Kadima Party* head (and interim Prime Minister) Tzipi Livni has been unable to form a new government coalition, and will call for early elections. If she had been able to form a new coalition within six weeks of PM Ehud Olmert's resignation in September, she could have avoided national elections.

Currently, Likud Party** chairman, Binyamin (Bibi) Netanyahu is heavily favored to win the next national elections.

As of now, the Kadima coalition holds a majority in the Knesset, Israel's legislative body; however, Likud is set to come roaring back in the next election.

The national elections will probably be held in January of February.

My thoughts? Personally, I would like to see Bibi become PM again; Olmert has been a disaster.

*The Kadima party is a center-left/centrist party in Israel.
**The Likud party is a center-right/right-wing party in Israel.