Elections in Palestine and Israel: SUMUD vs. Apartheid

On the surface, Israel's election was humdrum, with none of the 31 parties running raising issues that grabbed the public. No party emerged 'victorious' or in a position of domination. The largest party in the Parliament, Kadima, Sharon's party now run by Olmert, received only 29 seats out of 120. Overall, the election saw the strengthening of the Right, even the extreme right (I don't accept the notion that Kadima of Sharon and Olmert is a 'Center' party; it's extreme right-wing, only slicker) i.e. those parties that refuse to even consider the notion of a viable Palestinian state, won 73 seats. The number of left/liberal seats stands only at 30.

Humdrum sums up how the Israeli public viewed the election. The only substantial issue raised was that of the plight of poor and working class Israelis, and that issue failed to ignite any popular enthusiasm. Yet it is precisely this 'hum-drum-ness' that is the big news. Ehud Olmert put his intentions right in the public's face: the most immediate and pressing task of his new government will be to determine the permanent borders of Israel, meaning that the massive settlement blocs, the 'greater' Jerusalem area and the Jordan Valley will be annexed to Israel, confining the Palestinians to some five isolated, impoverished and non-viable cantons (Sharon's term) that they will be expected to accept as their 'state'.

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