I am grateful to my colleague, Rabbi Dow Marmur of Jerusalem, for passing along to me this in-depth analysis of the just-completed Israeli election called “The Impact of the Likud Election Victory on the Israeli Political Landscape” by a long-time foreign correspondent, Jim Lederman at http://www.jimlederman.com/
Lederman’s essay is an insightful and comprehensive analysis of how PM Netanyahu won the election and the cross-currents of political interests that are now at work in his trying to form a ruling coalition government. Correspondent Lederman also considers what has taken place between President Obama and Congressional Democrats vis a vis Netanyahu following the Prime Minister’s speech to Congress and as a consequence of statements Bibi made and the strategy he used in his successful election campaign.
This is a 15-page blog that is well-worth reading to better understand the challenges both PM Netanyahu faces domestically and what Israel faces internationally behind his leadership.
Jim Lederman is the longest-serving foreign correspondent in Jerusalem. In the past, he has been the Israel correspondent for the Canadian Broadcasting Corp., NPR and the New York Post. Since 1992, he has been the Senior Israel Analyst for Oxford Analytica, specializing in the political, military, economic, social and religious movements in the Middle East. He is the author of Battle-Lines: The American Media and the Intifada (Henry Holt, 1992), and his articles have appeared in a wide variety of major newspapers and journals.
