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Last update - 09:17 20/02/2009 ANALYSIS / Netanyahu's victory is starting to turn sour By Yossi Verter Tags: Avigdor Lieberman  Quite a few jaws dropped to the floor as the list of portfolios requested by Avigdor Lieberman became public: Justice, Public Security and Foreign. This sounds like a bad joke, or an aggressive push by a man up to his neck in investigations to usurp the rule of law. One can imagine Foreign Minister Lieberman returning from one of the few countries that will agree to let him in, and summoning the Justice and Public Security ministers to catch up on his investigations; or alternately, telling Justice Minister Daniel Friedmann whom he prefers as the next attorney general. Or you could imagine the faces of Likud MKs Yuval Steinitz, who is hoping to become public security minister, Gideon Sa'ar, a leading Justice Ministry candidate, or Silvan Shalom, who wants to return to the Foreign Ministry, when they heard about Lieberman's demands. One could imagine that resuscitation was in order. Advertisement They are not alone. Soon, Netanyahu's door will be bowing under the weight of nearly all the incumbent Likud MKs. What will be left for them, and for the new MKs Dan Meridor, Benny Begin and Moshe Ya'alon, once Yvet, Shas' Eli Yishai and others have been paid? More than a decade ago, Netanyahu was badly scorched by the "Bar-On Hebron" affair and its allegations of bad appointments, and nearly lost the premiership. Thursday, he must have experienced a flashback - the bitter division among the people, the hatred of the elites, his relentless pursuit by the media. This is not how he planned to begin his second term. In the weeks to come, Netanyahu's choices will go from bad to worse. As time passes since the general elections, his victory is turning sour. Tzipi Livni will not join a government resting on a narrow 65-person majority, composed of the right and the ultra-Orthodox. She might consider joining a government with Likud, Yisrael Beiteinu and United Torah Judaism, but nothing more than that. But Netanyahu can not give up Shas and Habayit Hayehudi; they are his safety net. In some scenarios, this net may well turn out to be a noose. Livni will let him wriggle and contort with his "natural allies." Even Netanyahu's famous personal charm, which he no doubt will have a chance to use, is unlikely to persuade Livni to climb on board so long as that means standing next to Shas, National Union and Habayit Hayehudi. Livni, who has spent most of her political life in the government, is now heading into the opposition. She is heading there determined, which cannot be said of some of her fellow MKs, whose mouths must be drying up with horror in anticipation of the stuffy Knesset committees, untouched by the clear breeze of the heights of power. Bookmark to del.icio.us   North under fire Hezbollah denies firing Katyusha into north Israel. Drama in Dubai Venus Williams hails 'brave' Peer after winning Dubai tourney.   1.   Surprise, surprise 02:41  |  Irishman in Paris 20/02/09   2.   You cannot believe it, but it happened 03:10  |  Moshe 20/02/09   3.   The Righter The Better 03:33  |  MB 20/02/09   4.   I second Irishman in Paris 03:37  |  Nadav 20/02/09   5.   MB # 2 yes Americans need to see the real face of Israel. 04:29  |  American in NY 20/02/09   6.   Liberals smoking dope and taking gas 05:14  |  Mark Lincoln 20/02/09   7.   No change of the public without a change of the ruling class 05:22  |  ENDegoism 20/02/09   8.   It Could Be Worse 05:23  |  Jeff Northridge 20/02/09   9.   Banana Republic. 06:20  |  sandra chitayat 20/02/09   10.   The politicians went mad and forget about the country 06:47  |  Akram Zekaria 20/02/09   11.   Haaretz and Meretz made Lieberman `far-right` 09:13  |  UlfT 20/02/09   12.   What symmetry! The Pals elected Hamas and Israelis the far right. 09:25  |  S 20/02/09   13.   Netanyahu`s victory 09:31  |  Josiah J. Ben David 20/02/09   14.   Israel gets the lame ducks it deserves. 09:47  |  Hannah 20/02/09   15.   `Starting to turn`... It`s too late for starting. 10:07  |  UlfT 20/02/09   16.   pure hypocrisy 10:38  |  benjamin 20/02/09   17.   Nethanyahu`s entire election campaign 12:03  |  Chris Linthwaite 20/02/09   18.   We need a president, not prime minister! 13:05  |  Anat 20/02/09   19.   Hopefully, lieberman will go the way of many Israeli politicians 15:40  |  Yaakov Sullivan 20/02/09   20.   It is called parliamentary democracy, Israel is a broad coalition 16:11  |  r 20/02/09   21.   Why 16:53  |  Ali Jaberansari 20/02/09   22.   Hopefully the right wing will stay together 17:03  |  Stephen L 20/02/09   23.   S # 12 symmetry in motion 18:14  |  American in NY 20/02/09   24.   and Haaretz writers remain sour 19:28  |  Avi 20/02/09   25.   Democracy doesn`t matter 22:25  |  Zvi 20/02/09   26.   the only way BiBi`s victory will ever turn sour is if he turns 22:53  |  glenna 20/02/09   27.   #16 Whos the Hypocrite Benjamin 23:42  |  jim the mechanic 20/02/09   28.   go livni! let netanyahu`s power base implode around him! 18:24  |  eric 21/02/09

Read & React Hamas: Israel picked 'most dangerous' politician to lead it Responses: 45 Hezbollah denies firing Katyusha into north Israel Responses: 42 Senior Kadima official hopes for 'broad' coalition Responses: 56 Ariel Zilber: Ehud Olmert, we'll miss you Responses: 34 Why Israel's rejection of 'peace' hospital offer angered Turkey Responses: 37 More Headlines 02:53 Sources: Netanyahu to offer Livni 'full partnership' in gov't 03:39 Yossi Sarid / Don't be fooled, Kadima-Likud union a matter of time 01:30 France to send top envoy to Iran for talks on nuclear program 03:07 Animated Lebanon War flick 'Waltz with Bashir' looks to clinch Israel's first Oscar 03:49 Will the Fatah-Hamas schism sabotage the rebuilding of Gaza? 03:27 Ex-spymaster: Despite Sabra and Chatila, first Lebanon War was a Mossad success 04:09 German politicians, Jewish leaders slam Schroeder for meeting Ahmadinejad 04:28 Dutch Jews slam Christian 'peace by conversion' group 23:10 Qassam rocket hits near Ashkelon; no casualties 21:56 Arab states to probe Gaza war crimes allegations 19:28 Durban II drafts: Israel is racist, occupying state 21:48 Diplomats: U.S. backs Fatah-Hamas reconciliation talks 22:47 Senator Kerry: Syria willing to help achieve Palestinian unity 16:02 Hezbollah denies firing Katyusha into north Israel 22:29 Venus Williams hails 'brave' Peer after winning UAE tourney Previous Editions Select Day 20 feb 19 feb 18 feb 17 feb 16 feb 15 feb 13 feb 12 feb 11 feb 10 feb 09 feb 08 feb

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