Will the Israeli elections today help or hinder?

[BigMac]

It is suggested that neither Likud (Right) nor Labour (Left) will do particularly well in the polls today, with the new centrist party perhaps being the winner - or at least the largest party.

Given that one of the themes of the election is to secure or determine permanent borders with the new Palestinian state, does a change in political leadership in Israel augur well for the future?

[Lonnie]

If your talking about the Peace Process, then it won't make the slightest bit of difference, The Palestinian people elected Hamas to their goverment. Hamas has sworn to destroy Israel, and its on the 'Destruction of Israel', is on the Palestinian Mandate, until this is changed, and they officially recognise the state of Israel, nothing can change.

As for anything else, we'll just have to wait and see.

[jump79]

I think some headway was being made with Sharon, who had come to realize that a little co-operation and 'give' goes a long way, in the long run.
Only if there is a candidate as committed and forward thinking as him, will anything positive come out of a change in political leadership in Israel.

[SarCaustic]

It will make no difference - the Israelis have no intention to give back the land that they have illegally occupied, or allow the Palestinian refugees the right of return or to stop building the apartheid wall. As long as they have America's unconditional support (including $3 billion dollars annualy) they will continue to annexe more Palestinian land and commit even more crimes. I heard on the radio the other day that the turn out for the election in Israel has been poor (at just 30%). What's interesting is that a similar turn out during the election in Iraq was hailed a great success for democracy. Moreover, the democratically elected Hamas got the majority vote in an election with a 73% turn out.