Reelection assured

There is an unconfirmed rumor that Khaled Mashaal, Head of Hamas, is an Israeli agent!  After all, the speech he gave in Gaza last week, full of rejection and hatred of Israel, could have been written for him by Bibi Netanyahu's speech writer.   Although Hamas leaders and others show a more moderate face towards the west, their pronouncements in Arabic are full of hatred and rejection of Israel.  They have learned nothing after 65 years of trying to destroy the Jewish state at all costs and with all means.  So Mashaal's speech was perfect in playing into Netanyahu's hands, and ensuring his re-election as PM.

Similarly the EU, in its immediate and thoughtless knee-jerk response to the Israel Government's announcement of plans to build in the area E1 between Jerusalem and Ma'aleh Adumim ("red heights"), reacted according to a script ensuring Bibi's reelection.  The European and the American reasoning that the Israeli decision to build on E1 will prevent a contiguous Palestinian State and therefore set back a two-state solution ignores reality.  First, there is 4 km between E1 and Jerusalem and 12 km between Ma'ale Adumim and the Jordanian border, easily allowing for Palestinian contiguity if needed.  Second, why should Israel not be contiguous, why should Jerusalem and Ma'ale Adumim be separated by supposedly Palestinian (hostile) territory.  Third, why should the West support the presence of a Palestinian State, that will likely be a terrorist base of anti-Israel and anti-Western activity that will spawn further wars with Israel just outside Jerusalem.  At least until the Palestinians show some willingness to live side-by-side in peace with Israel, they have no right to expect Israeli concessions. Thus, the European and American responses to the E1 issue also help to get Bibi reelected as Israel's PM.

Finally, the Egyptians and the Syrians are doing their utmost to get Netanyahu re-elected.  When faced with the uncertainty and instability exhibited in the nearby Arab States, that are always violent and undemocratic, what will the Israeli electorate do.  They will vote for a rightwing leader that is likely to oppose the superficial diplomatic maneuvers of the PA Fatah leaders, the extreme bluster and threats of the Hamas leaders, and give stability in the face of Arab instability.  They will certainly not choose a strident and self-obssessed princess like Tzipi Livni, nor a domestically focussed and untried leader like Shelly Yacimovich of Labor.