Once again Israel is holding early elections, this time on the background of PM Ehud Olmert's resignation, brought about due to corruption charges. There are 120 members of the Knesset and in order to form a government at least 61 are necessary to build a governing coalition. Many expect that former PM Benyamin Netanyahu and his Likud Party will form the government as they are expected to receive the most seats. The major question will be whether they choose to ally themselves with other right wing parties or the ruling Kadima Party led by Tzipi Livni. Kadima was originally established by Ariel Sharon after the Disengagement from Gaza when he established a centrist party and breaking away from the Likud in 2005-06.

We will do the math with the immediate election returns viewing the options of a right wing or more centrist government. Although there is renewal in Labor and the Left it can be expected that they will remain in the opposition and attempt to build a social democratic alternative to the Likud and Kadima capital incentive policies. The schism between the two world visions is growing as the world economic crisis deepens and washes up on Israel's shores.

On the domestic front socio-economic policies will be examined. On the other hand foreign policy and security in dealing with war and peace, the Palestinians (Hamas and Fatah), Syria, Iran and Hezbollah will be scrutinized to gain an understanding as to future Israeli policies. Policy comparisons will be made between different coalition alternatives based on the election results.

Note: As is often requested we can deal almost exclusively with Israeli Foreign Policy and Defense thereby going farther into depth as relates to Israel's relations with the Arab World and Iran. At request this can include documentation including UN Res. 181 (Partition Plan), Res. 242, Camp David 1979, Oslo (1993), Camp David and the Clinton Plan (2000), the Saudi Plan (2002), the Road Map and Bush Letter (2003-04), UN Res. 1701 ending the Second Lebanon War (2006) and the expected foreign policy of the new Obama Administration.
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