Netanyahu confident of election victory
2013-01-17 11:56
Jerusalem - Israel's 22 January election is expected to return Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to office, giving him a fresh mandate to tackle
stubborn foreign policy questions, such as Iran's nuclear ambitions, and
domestic economic discontent.
The vote is expected to see Israel's parliament swing further to the right,
whittling away at the chances of a comprehensive peace deal with the
Palestinians and raising the prospect of greater diplomatic isolation for the
Jewish state.
Domestically, Netanyahu's government will have to quickly pass a tough
austerity budget to reduce the ballooning deficit, but also balance harsh
measures against public anger over rising living costs and income disparity.
Netanyahu is not running unopposed, and has seen the Labour party hit him on
economic issues, even as the hard-line rightwing Jewish Home led by rising star
Naftali Bennett condemns his support for a Palestinian state.
Leading
Polls show his rightwing Likud party, which is running on a joint list with
the secular nationalist Yisrael Beitenu party, well ahead of its rivals, and
surveys indicate Israelis consistently favour Netanyahu for the premiership.
He has campaigned on a term of relative economic stability, emphasising his
military credentials, his tough line on Iran's nuclear programme and his
decision to launch a punishing air campaign against Gaza militants last year.
But the shape of his future government remains unclear, along with how he
will steer Israel on issues including settlement activity, peace talks with the
Palestinians and Iran.
Labour has already ruled out joining the government, but Jewish Home -projected
to come third - is expected to win a spot.
Options
Netanyahu could opt for an exclusively rightwing line-up, or bring in one of
the new centrist parties like HaTnuah headed by former foreign minister Tzipi
Livni or Yesh Atid under former journalist Yair Lapid.
"I think he will try to invite everyone," said Efraim Inbar of the
Begin-Sadat Centre for Strategic Studies. "The more parties in the
coalition, the less he is subject to blackmail by one party or another."
Livni is believed to be open to joining the government, and could return to
the foreign ministry, where she would be a moderate face for an otherwise
hawkish administration.
She has campaigned on the need to renew peace talks with the Palestinians,
which stalled in autumn 2010, with the new government likely to come under
fresh pressure from Washington and Brussels to negotiate.
But some likely coalition partners, among them Bennett who opposes the
creation of a Palestinian state, are certain to reject such a move and instead
push for settlement expansion which could deepen Israel's diplomatic isolation.
Iran
Another key challenge will be Iran's nuclear programme, which Israel and
much of the international community believes masks a weapons drive.
With moderates in Likud pushed aside in primaries, and his future coalition
partners expected to be hawkish, speculation about a pre-emptive strike on
Iran's nuclear facilities is likely to mount after the vote.
The Iran issue will probably put the spotlight on Netanyahu's frosty ties
with US President Barack Obama, himself recently reelected, and commentators
expect Netanyahu will have to prioritise mending them.
The new government will also need to keep a close eye on the unfolding Arab
Spring, which has left Israel's borders with Egypt and Syria increasingly
volatile, and threatened the country's few regional alliances.
Most Israelis, however, are more concerned with domestic issues than
regional affairs, and see Netanyahu as the best leader on offer.
"There is a lack of leaders on the opposition side," Inbar said.
"We see nobody in opposition who is material to be prime minister."
- SAPA
