HADAR

In depth analysis of the Likud's final list for the Knesset (part III in a series).

Israeli willingness to do whatever it takes to prevent weapons of mass destruction from falling into the wrong hands may be the only thing preventing civil wars or heated rhetoric from becoming mass atrocities.

Imagine Jews launched massive protests for every anti-Semitic youtube video.

In depth analysis of the Likud's final list for the Knesset (part I in a series).

Not exactly what Jewish Home voters thought they would get on election day.

At the end of his statement Netanyahu said it is preferable to have a "three month" campaign cycle than what would in practice be a year of campaigning until October 2013. Assuming that he would seek dissolution of the Knesset at the opening of the session -- October 15th -- that would put the elections at around or a little after January 15th.

Mitt Romney seems to have a genuinely friendly view towards Israel, which he has made clear in various public statements and his recent visit to Israel. Yet, in his foreign policy address yesterday, he adopted the position which is at the heart of U.S. pressure on Israel: supporting Palestinian statehood.

Former U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates recently warned that, “The results of an American or Israeli military strike on Iran could, in my view, prove catastrophic, haunting us for generations in that part of the world.” During Thursday's Vice Presidential debate the statement was read to Vice President Joe Biden and Vice Presidential Candidate Paul Ryan  at the start of segment on Iran. What exactly Gates meant by “catastrophic” I’m not sure (Muslim/Middle East resentment towards the U.S.? Lack of access to oil? Increase in global terrorism?), but during the debate, both Biden and debate moderator Martha Raddatz seemed to argue that it meant going to war with Iran.

Despite Obama’s poor debate performance, Romney’s rising likability numbers and voters saying he would better handle the economy – and two more polls which give him a significant bump since the debate – there is reason to fear that voters will still not vote against the incumbent.

Abbas is reported worth millions. So why not let him save his own skin, instead of having Israel repeatedly bail the Palestinian Authority out?

Ayalon's new position on the Palestinian statehood doesn't quite match his prior criticism of the Palestinian's bid for statehood at the UN.

In 1992, the Tehiya Party brought down Shamir's government over the Madrid Conference, leading to Labor's victory and the signing of the Oslo Accords.

In depth analysis of the Likud's final list for the Knesset (part II in a series).

Last week's U.S. presidential debate was a victory for Romney on all accounts, especially if one judges by the closing statements, where Obama couldn't muster any specific reason why voters should re-elect him aside from the fact that he was trying really hard as president. Looking at polls on how people view the candidates, I’m beginning to wonder why it is that Obama leads Romney in national polls and whether that is going start to change in a big way.

Congratulations, JStreet, you won before you even started! Perhaps you can save your breath, energy and George Soros' and god knows who else's money and go home.

A US diplomat proposed that UN negotiating rooms be 'inebriation-free zones.'

Soon after the attacks on American embassies in Egypt and Libya, Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney and his running mate Paul Ryan criticized President Obama for lack a clear and forceful message to the world. Soon after, the administration provided another example of why this was true, with Obama stating that Egypt was neither friend nor foe, while the State Department confirmed that Egypt is indeed an ally.

As predicted here, Mori's anti-Israel rants will have no affect on U.S. policy of aiding Egypt's transition to an Islamist democracy-dictatorship.

So my advice is, don't try to outsmart anyone. You will just be shooting yourself in the foot. Vote for the party you want to see lead the country.

The entire concept of non-member observers has no bearing on international law.

While the Israeli media wrongly claimed that the Likud had made an extreme shift to the right in recent primaries, some commentators were correcting in observing the existence of a deal-system. (Part IV in a series about the Likud primaries).

The U.S. reiterated its rejection of Israel's call for "clear red lines." Today, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded, saying those "who refuse to put red lines in front of Iran, don't have a moral right to put a red light in front of Israel." Here is the Prime Minister in his own words - responding to a reporter's question about the State Department's position:

Trump even works in the Likud's election slogan, "A strong prime minister is a strong Israel."

Since the debate there's been a lot of analysis as to whether the President designated the attack on the U.S. embassy in Bengahzi, Libya, an act of terrorism. The President indeed used the term "act of terror" the next day but it wasn't clear if he was talking about that attack or 9-11. For the next week administration officials described the attacks as part of a protest-riot against the the U.S. over the "Innocence of Muslims" video which got out of hand.

As if you needed proof that the new Egypt is an enemy lying in wait.

East Jerusalem has become code for: where Jews shouldn't be.

The institution of party primaries in Israel needs to be expanded not shrunk, so that the government will be under the supervision of the people from which it derives power and the moral authority to govern.

The top 35 of the Likud's Knesset list and which spots are what.

It cannot be claimed it is fair for one party to attack another, but not for the other to attack back...

Like Liberman before, Lapid will likely be Netanyahu's major partner as under almost any coalition figuration Yesh Atid can bring down the coalition.