If Israel’s elections proved one thing, it’s this: The electoral system is a disaster.
- Jerusalem Post editor David Horovitz: "The most blatant failure was that of our electoral system, insistently unreformed by our politicians, and again apparently denying whoever becomes prime minister the solid bedrock of parliamentary support so vitally needed to steer Israel through the mounting regional challenges it faces."
- Ynet’s Eitan Haber: Change the system.
- Israel’s shekel, bonds and stocks fell in the wake of the elections, which the Bloomberg Co. says will weaken the ability of a new government to make policy decisions.
- The Economist headline says it all: Zippy Livni; nearly Netanyahu.
- Al Jazeera’s English Web site asks readers if the peace process will survive the results of Israel’s election. Read the more than 300 talkbacks.
- As if electing one prime minister is not bad enough, Ynet columnist Attila Somfalvi says the ambiguous election result could lead to a Livni-Bibi rotation.
- In a quick about-face, a Kadima official tells the Jerusalem Post’s Amir Mizroch that Avigdor Lieberman’s Yisrael Beiteinu Party is "not really in the right-wing bloc" and that the party is more of a natural partner for Kadima than Likud. Mizroch also reports on Kadima’s winning campaign strategy.
- The Jerusalem Post’s Herb Keinon says the close election results are another mixed message sent by an electorate that is confused and frustrated by the peace process.
- Ha’aretz’s editorialists lauded the rise in voter turnout.
- Ha’aretz columnist Aluf Benn says that the requisite conclusion drawn from the election results is that Kadima and Labor need to merge and act as a joint faction in the 18th Knesset.
- Ha’artez correspondent Akiva Eldar says that without Lieberman, Livni has no government.
- The Washington Post calls the election a setback for President Obama and his desire to move quickly on Israeli-Palestinian peace.
- The BBC looks at the highs and the lows of the election drama.
