Election day in Israel tends to be something akin to political bloodsport. Since the parliamentary system dictates that the prime minister’s power is rooted in his political party, there is much more at stake than just one person winning. Actually, elections are often characterized by politicians and political pundits as the source of the future of the country. Every time.
That’s saying a lot in a country where many people—if you ask them—really aren’t sure if the state of Israel will even exist a generation from now.
As with many things in Israel, the result of an election is about the future of the tribe, not the leader who gains (or keeps) the throne. As it’s a national holiday, coffee shops and sidewalk cafes are full of people and talk of politics is literally in the air. It’s a contentious subject under normal circumstances, but in this particular national election it has become personal.
The days and weeks leading up to an Israeli election go far beyond the borders of Israel. For Benjamin Netanyahu, who has held the position of Israeli prime minister for six years, he went through the effort of making an unprecedented speech before both houses of the U.S. Congress two weeks ago. The speech looked like the statesmanship of a leader determined to keep his post, and was broadly criticized in Israel as simply playing politics and campaigning.
On Tuesday (Election Day), Netanyahu had pulled out all the stops to cement a win and keep his position. For starters, he worked hard to make sure voters remember the boogeyman is out to get them and he’s the man to keep everyone safe. While in the United States, he harped on the dangers of a nuclear Iran and warned that current Obama-lead U.N. negotiations to make a deal should be a source of trepidation.
