Yossi Verter

Survey sponsored by struggling broadcaster indicates Israelis hope it stays on the air.

Molad - The Center for Renewal of Democracy deals with the lost goblin of Israeli politics: the left.

Benjamin Netanyahu had a bad week at the office, with 60 percent of the public expressing dissatisfaction with his performance. Still, it could be worse: He could be Yuval Steinitz.

Survey reflects a negativity toward the Netanyahu-Steinitz duo; government's socioeconomic agenda could be an electoral disaster.

Yacimovich's associates blamed the cancelation on Netanyahu.

Circles close to former opposition leader Yacimovich say meeting cancelled over disagreements surrounding the economic measures the Netanyahu government is about to adopt.

Nothing, it seemed, could stop the Prime Minister from winning a second term, other than that joker who always wrecks things for him: Benjamin Netanyahu.

Before WWII, Churchill quipped 'Britain and France had to choose between war and dishonor. They chose dishonor; now they will have war.' Netanyahu would do well to contemplate his words.

Three months ago, the prime minister advanced elections to September 4, and another term was almost a certainty - but then he panicked for some reason, and added Kadima to the government.

An interview with Kadima leader Shaul Mofaz, who remains unapologetic about his brief dalliance with Netanyahu, though some observers question his sudden passion for the draft cause.

Yossi Verter writes that the short-lived Kadima-Likud coalition government made a mockery of Israeli democracy and left both Benjamin Netanyahu and Shaul Mofaz looking bad.

Although his reputation has been burned by corruption controversies and poorly handled military operations, Ehud Olmert believes he has unfinished business on the world stage.

But opinion polls tell a different story, as Channel 10 survey says only 22 percent want former PM to make a return.

ANALYSIS: Olmert was removed from office because of the Talansky case. Today three judges completely cleared him from any wrongdoing in that affair.

Haaretz analyst Yossi Verter says Netanyahu dissolves Plesner Committee, forges an alliance with the ultra-Orthodox, then makes a magnificent U-turn.

The PM must come up with a way to keep the head of Kadima and the Haredi parties in his coalition after the Plesner Committee debacle that won't cause him irreparable damage come election time.

As the Plesner Committee presented its recommendations for drafting ultra-Orthodox men and Israeli Arabs into military or civilian service on Wednesday, the PM scrambled to keep his coalition together, writes Yossi Verter.

What was the prime minister thinking six weeks ago when he announced the formation of a committee to find a replacement for the Tal Law that exempts the ultra-Orthodox from military service?

After the next election, could the Haredim get back at Netanyahu and recommend that Labor's Yacimovich head the government?

Netanyahu is once again not leading, but being led. He is not initiating but being dragged along. When it comes to the national service law, only the Haredim seem happy.

We're set for another crazy summer in Israel. But two things are clear: Moshe Ya'alon's timing for speaking out in favor of an Iran strike, and the fact that no one will lose his job over the Carmel fire report.

None of the government ministers will take responsibility and the comptroller's report will quickly disappear into the black hole that sucks up all the thick tomes his office produces.

At 62 (Netanyahu) and 70 (Barak), you don't change. Especially when you are king.

Prime Minister Netanyahu got his way this week and thwarted efforts to retroactively legalize certain outposts, but also ensured that the taste of defeat wasn't too bitter for settlers.

Netanyahu appears to be on a collision course with the extremists in his party and his government.