Anti-Netanyahu rally draws huge crowd in Israeli city.

[Shaktimaan]

Tens of thousands of Israelis have gathered at a Tel Aviv square calling for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to be replaced in national elections scheduled to be held on March 17.
Police gave no official figures, but Israeli media said that about 30,000 people attended the rally on Saturday, which was held under the banner "Israel wants a change".
The rally's keynote speaker was former Mossad chief Meir Dagan who recently criticised Netanyahu's conduct and called him "the person who has caused the greatest strategic damage to Israel".
"Bibi, you've failed, go home," the demonstrators chanted, referring to Netanyahu by his nickname.
Opinion polls show Netanyahu's right-wing Likud running neck-and-neck with rival Isaac Herzog, head of the centre-left Zionist Union, linked to the Labour party.
Netanyahu, seeking a fourth term in office, is seen as having a slight advantage of more parliamentary allies in to form a coalition government. Latest polls have both Zionist Union and Likud winning 23 of the Knesset's seats.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2015/03/anti-netanyahu-rally-draws-huge-crowd-israeli-city-150307222711606.html

[NBachers]

1. I think there's still time for his popularity to dwindle in the next week.

[2naSalit]

2. Geze I hope he gets his ass handed to him

in this election.

[Israeli]

3. Tens of thousands in Tel Aviv demand Netanyahu's ouster

Ten days before Israelis head to the polls, masses turn out in anti-Netanyahu rally in Tel Aviv. Latest polls put Zionist Camp ahead of Likud but it’s still unclear who can form a coalition.


Tens of thousands of people at a demonstration calling to replace Netanyahu as Israel’s prime minister, Rabin Square, Tel Aviv, March 7, 2015. (Photo by Oren Ziv/Activestills.org)

Tens of thousands of Israelis attended a rally to demand a new government Saturday night in Rabin Square. Israel Police estimated that 40,000 people attended; the event’s organizers claimed more than 80,000 people showed up.

The rally was held under the banner, “Israel wants change,” and was being billed as an anti-Benjamin Netanyahu event.

Among the speakers scheduled to take part in the event were former Mossad chief Meir Dagan, Michal Kestan-Kedar ( the widow of a lieutenant-colonel who was killed in Operation Defensive Edge), a social justice activist, journalists and others.

(Related stories :
Netanyahu's Congress speech: An election stunt, after all By Noam Sheizaf | March 3, 2015
Herzog must support the Joint List — and vice versa By Ron Gerlitz and Nidal Othman | March 1, 2015
The three bullets that killed Israel's left-wing bloc By Lev Grinberg | February 25, 2015
In his speech, Dagan told the crowd that he is more scared of Israel’s leadership than its enemies. Saying that he wants neither a bi-national state nor an apartheid state, the former Mossad chief derided the current leadership for using fear and threats to present peace as unattainable.)

“To those who say we don’t have any alternative, as somebody who worked directly with three prime ministers: there is a better alternative,” Dagan said.

“Just as there are unavoidable wars there are also unavoidable elections,” the visibly ill former Mossad chief said, describing the upcoming elections as an emergency call-up that Israel cannot ignore.

Former Israeli general Amiram Levine also addressed the crowd, stressing the importance of the Arab Peace Initiative. Addressing Israeli settlers in the West Bank, Amiram argued that peace “is the only way to preserve the settlement project, the settlement blocs and to hold on to the Golan Heights.”

Both men used the word “apartheid” in there warnings of the direction Israel is headed.

The event comes 10 days before Israelis head to the polls with no clear winner predicted. Labor and Tzipi Livni’s “Zionist Camp” is showing as the largest party in most polls, although Netanyahu’s Likud is not far behind.
Behind the Zionist Camp (23) and Likud (21), the Joint List of Arab parties grew in the most recent polls to up to 15 seats, according to aggregate polling Project 61.

Netanyahu has ruled out the possibility of forming a unity government with the Zionist Camp, leaving two possible coalitions: a far-right government that includes one or two of the centrist parties and the ultra-Orthodox; and, a center-left government that includes the centrist parties and the ultra-Orthodox, with the support of the Joint List from the opposition.



Israelis at a rally calling to oust PM Netanyahu, people toss a large ball with Netanyahu’s likeness on it that reads, ‘throwing [out] the Bibi’, Rabin Square, Tel Aviv, March 7, 2015. (Photo by Oren Ziv/Activestills.org)

Source: http://972mag.com/tens-of-thousands-in-tel-aviv-demand-netanyahus-ouster/103883/

[Scootaloo]

4. Am i mistaken, the only way to get him out is to absolutely shred Likud?

I'm an American, Israel's method of creating a ruling government baffles my simple beef-fed brain. But what I understand, it depends less on who wins elections, and more on who can organize into a lager bloc faster?

So, what - if anything - would stop Bibi from staying where he is, unless Israelis completely knock out not just likud, but all the other right-wing parties that orbit around Likud?

And even if they chump Netanyahu, what's to keep a bigger cock from taking the position?

is there any sort of sentiment that wants a wholly new Knesset and cabinet? 'Cuase to my eyes, Israeli politics seems fairly incestuous and nepotistic, with the same faces just trading chairs here and there. If there IS such sentiment, is there any way to actually achieve it?

Or are these barnacles on Israel's hull for good?

[shaayecanaan]

5. Worth taking a look at the numbers

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_Israeli_legislative_election,_2015

A couple of things worth noting:-

Meretz is floating around the threshold (4%). If they don't make it, they don't get any seats. If they don't get any seats then Israel's only remaining Jewish left wing party is gone. Some left wing Jews have already started voting for the Arab (Joint) list. This is an interesting development in itself. The new threshold has made the Arab parties unite on one ticket, which has helped them to be more politically moderate and has overcome a lot of petty rivalries that were unedifying. Unfortunately Zoabi is still around and is still being a complete clown, but all things will pass.

If Meretz fails to make the threshold, all those ballots will be spent - ie all those left wing votes are effectively lost.

The magic number is 61 (a majority of 120 seats).

The right can't get to a majority by themselves, even with the Kahanists and the religious parties. They will need Yesh Atid again.

Yesh Atid can play kingmaker for the right, but not for the left. This is because the Left will still need the Joint List (ie the Arabs) to make up a majority. No Jewish party has ever sat in coalition with the Arabs. Yesh Atid is unlikely to be amongst the first.

Long story short, its very difficult to see Netanyahu not being PM again in one month's time.

[Israeli]

6. Agree with you shaayecanaan.....

Meretz situation is not looking good .

Many long time voters are moving to 'Buji' and Avoda ( I wont give them the name that they have taken this time ) ....under the umbrella of the anyone but Bibi vote.
Many are moving to Hadash and the joint list .

When Yossi Sarid writes this :
http://www.haaretz.com/opinion/.premium-1.645551
...its time to sit up and pay attention .

Things have become more complicated with the collapse of the surplus-vote issue .
see: http://www.haaretz.com/news/israel-election-2015/.premium-1.645662

Gideon Levy says it best IMHO :

http://www.haaretz.com/opinion/.premium-1.645750

[King_David]

7. Every link behind a paywall

FYI

[Israeli]

9. I'm sure shaayecanaan will manage KD ...

....those in the know how... know how to .

As you are so obviously out of the loop you can read Gideon Levy's article here :

https://desertpeace.wordpress.com/2015/03/08/a-who-and-why-to-vote-for-in-israel/

No need to thank me ...you are welcome

[King_David]

10. Thank you. nt

[shaayecanaan]

11. Thanks, I did manage

This is the way the Israeli left ends, because without Meretz nothing is left but right-rocks and center-sand. And so the curse “The left is upon you, Israel” was lifted, as if we were Philistines come to gouge Samson’s eyes, when in fact all we wanted was to open your eyes in a time of blindness.

Who will do this in our stead, and what will our rivals do in our absence? Whom will they accuse of subversion, treason and anti-Zionism? Whom will they accuse of being behind the High Court of Justice and B’Tselem, academia and the media, culture and literature, the Israel Prize and the New Israel Fund? Who can they manage to scare, without an actual scapegoat to accuse?

I suppose the Israeli left will have to realise what the Democratic party realised a generation ago: the Left will never get anywhere without the Arabs, and the Arabs will never get anywhere without the Left.

[Israeli]

12. Yes ...

I agree with that to , ...its a damn shame that Meretz and the Joint List are not sharing their surplus votes.... it means a possible 2 seats loss .

Meretz supported joining as did Hadash but Raam and Balad opposed it because they didn't want to be associated with a Zionist party.

Still ...some polls have the Joint List at 15 seats which if it happens will be ground breaking .

[Mosby]

13. is there any talk of getting rid of the coalition system?

I know israelis didn't like the outcome the last time they changed, but the center and left parties are so fluid and fragmented that the right can't lose anymore.

It's a really stupid system imo.

[Israeli]

15. There has been talk ...

...just as there has been "talk" of a formal constitution for many years Mosby, so far that is all that it has amounted to .....talk .

[shaayecanaan]

14. Apparently Zoabi spiked the surplus agreement

between Meretz and the Joint List. That is what I read anyway. She is a damn fool.

[Israeli]

16. I dont think she is a damn fool shaayecanaan....

I think she is a very brave woman that stands up for her believes and puts her life on the line for what she believes in .

I wont join in on Zoabi bashing ....she gets enough of that from our Right wing :

http://www.richardsilverstein.com/2015/03/09/purim-when-becomes-isis/

Look , this was a huge mistake by Herzog :

Zoabi’s ban passed with 27 Central Elections Committee members in favor from Shas, UTJ, the Likud, Bayit Yehudi, Yisrael Beytenu, Yesh Atid, Labor and Hatnua (the Zionist Union) and six opposed from UAL, Ta’al, Balad, Hadash and Meretz. Committee chairman Justice Salim Joubran abstained.

ref: http://www.jpost.com/Israel-Elections/Central-Elections-Ctee-votes-to-bar-Zoabi-from-running-in-election-390817

We knew there would be fall out from that .

Zoabi did not spike the surplus agreement on her own .

[azurnoir]

18. wasn't she 'attacked' last week by one of Baruch Marzel supporters?

Marzel was also disqualified for his association with Kahanist type parties, both were reinstated

[Israeli]

19. Yes ...

see : http://www.haaretz.com/news/israel-election-2015/.premium-1.645376

Marzel's party Yachad ,
ref : http://www.mpaths.com/2015/03/interview-with-yachad-mk-candidate-r.html

has been spreading his word :

If anyone is an illegal immigrant it’s Marzel himself, a founding member of an outlawed terrorist organisation on both sides of the pond.

ref : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baruch_Marzel

Yair Garbuz nails it azurnoir......

“They told us, and wanted us to believe, that the abominable man who assassinated the prime minister had come from a handful of freaks. And they told us that he had been influenced by rabbis who were cut off from reality, and that he belonged to the lunatic fringe. They told us that the people wearing the yellow shirts with the black logo, the members of Kahane Tzadak and the people who screamed ‘Death to Arabs,’ were a handful. They were only a handful.

"And they had even more gall to say that the thieves who took bribes were only a handful. And that the corrupt and hedonistic and greedy people were only a handful. The destroyers of democracy — a handful. Those who think that democracy means the tyranny of the majority — a handful. Kissers of amulets, idol-worshippers and people who bow down and prostrate themselves on the graves of saints — only a handful.”

Then Garbuz added, “If all of them are only a handful, then how is it that this handful has control over us? How is it that without our being aware of it, and without any hindrance, this handful has become the majority?”

[Israeli]

20. He is in the news again ....

...this time for attacking a Palestinian in Hebron....

2:20 P.M. Far-right politician Baruch Marzel charged with assault

Far-right Knesset candidate Baruch Marzel was charged Wednesday with assaulting a Palestinian in Hebron.

The incident took place in February 2013, when Marzel was on his way to pray at the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron. According to the indictment, Marzel sought to pass through the victim's yard but was asked to leave. Instead, Marzel punched the man, Issa Amro, in the face. He continued kicking the victim even as a soldier who was passing by made an attempt to break up the fight.

The arraignment has been set for May 28.

Marzel accused the police of seeking to undermine his candidacy, citing the fact that the charges were pressed a week before the election and calling the complainant a "criminal."

"The police and the prosecution can't accept the Supreme Court's decision to allow me to run," he said. "What's more amazing is that for years they have been helpless when it comes to [Knesset Member Haneen] Zoabi, but when it comes to me, they are quick on the trigger.

"In spite of them, with God's help, I will be a Knesset member next week, and will fight the politicization of the police and the prosecution." (Chaim Levinson)

http://www.haaretz.com/news/israel-election-2015/1.646387

NB : there is a video of the whole event at the same link .

[azurnoir]

21. Hmmm interesting I'm 'sure' it was coincidence that the Palestinian man involved is an activist who

has been targeted by IDF in the past, I see Marzel picks his targets

http://972mag.com/tag/issa-amro/

[King_David]

8. In quite a few cities. nt

[Israeli]

17. Meet our Haneen Zoabi.....

Yair Garbuz.

As they all rush to distance themselves from the truth .

Artist's 'idol-worshippers' remarks at anti-Netanyahu rally draw ire

Zionist Union distances itself from Yair Garbuz's comment about how 'amulet-kissers' control Israel; Habayit Hayehudi slams the Union and Garbuz.

By Jonathan Lis

Officials from all parts of Israel's political establishment sharply criticized the statement of artist and commentator Yair Garbuz at the left wing’s rally in Rabin Square on Saturday night.

Garbuz, the first speaker, expressed amazement at how “amulet-kissers, idol-worshippers and people who prostrate themselves at the graves of saints” were controlling the State of Israel. Figures representing the right and left wings accused the artist of condescension, racism and contempt for his political rivals’ world views.

Among other things, Garbuz said during the rally: “They told us, and wanted us to believe, that the abominable man who assassinated the prime minister [i.e., Yigal Amir, who killed Yitzhak Rabin] had come from a handful of freaks. And they told us that he had been influenced by rabbis who were cut off from reality, and that he belonged to the lunatic fringe. They told us that the people wearing the yellow shirts with the black logo, the members of Kahane Tzadak [the Kahane Was Right movement] and the people who screamed ‘Death to Arabs,’ were a handful. They were only a handful.

"And they had even more gall to say that the thieves who took bribes were only a handful. And that the corrupt and hedonistic and greedy people were only a handful. The destroyers of democracy — a handful. Those who think that democracy means the tyranny of the majority — a handful. Kissers of amulets, idol-worshippers and people who bow down and prostrate themselves on the graves of saints — only a handful.”

Then Garbuz added, “If all of them are only a handful, then how is it that this handful has control over us? How is it that without our being aware of it, and without any hindrance, this handful has become the majority?”

For their part, in criticizing Garbuz, Zionist Union officials issued an official statement that read: “We condemn the statements that insulted a community on the basis of its beliefs,” and they distanced the party from Garbuz, saying: “The event and its speakers were not organized by us.”

Deputy Minister Ofir Akunis (Likud), called the artist's address “the second ‘chakh-chakhim speech" – referring to the speech by the late entertainer Dudu Topaz during the 1981 election campaign in which he used the anti-Sephardi slang term “chakh-chakhim” (“rabble”) to disparage Likud voters. The term became a symbol also thanks to remarks address Prime Minister Menachem Begin gave in response to Topaz.

Akunis: “Garbuz is exposing the true face of the Israeli left wing: condescension, contempt for the 'other,' dismissal of any different opinion or position that does not correspond to the outlooks that sanctify withdrawal [from territories] and concessions. The supporters of Likud and the right wing have been called a rabble and a mob, and now we are amulet-kissers who have become the majority.”

Habayit Hayehudi chairman Minister Naftali Bennett, for one, criticized the heads of Zionist Union, Isaac Herzog and Tzipi Livni, as well as Garbuz after the latter made his statements. At a conference at the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya, Bennett said, “This handful is Emanuel Moreno, a lieutenant colonel in the elite Sayeret Matkal unit, who had pictures of rabbis on his wall, and he fell in battle during the Second Lebanon War. And this handful is also Roi Klein, of blessed memory, who during the Second Lebanon War cried out what you consider a pagan call [before throwing himself on a grenade to save his fellow soldiers]: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.’”

Source : http://www.haaretz.com/news/israel-election-2015/.premium-1.646038