Waiting for Netanyahu

Despite his many engagements and perpetual busyness, the head of Israel's right-wing opposition, Binyamin Netanyahu, insists on taking Russian language lessons. He does so as one way of securing an overwhelming victory in any early elections that may take place. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has announced his intention to resign following preparatory elections in September to choose his successor as head of the Kadima Party. Olmert was forced into this decision after corruption cases against him came to light, and this has whetted Netanyahu's thirst for power. He knows that learning Russian would allow him to directly address the public of new Russian immigrants who, although they form approximately 20 per cent of Israel's population, are generally not proficient in Hebrew.

The new immigrants from Russia and former USSR states are a decisive constituency of support for the right wing in Israel as most adopt extremist positions. Observers in Tel Aviv hold that there are two primary goals Netanyahu seeks to meet in order to prepare the way for his return to power. The first is preventing Olmert's successor as the head of Kadima from forming an alternative government and pushing towards early elections. The second is wresting legitimacy from any political or military step that Olmert takes before leaving his position for good, most likely in November.

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http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2008/909/re51.htm