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"Extremism" Israeli parties' way to win election

Report by Nujoud Qassem

RAMALLAH, Sept 16 (KUNA) -- Israel's electoral blocs have been racing to show their extremism in a bid to win the Israeli voter.
Israel's elections are due to be held in Israel on Tuesday for a second round within one year after the Knesset (parliament) dissolved itself in May because of the failure of the current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to form a governing coalition.
In order to win the election and to avoid jail time on corruption charges, Netanyahu has sought, with US administration support, to win a fifth term to keep him in power for another four years.
In the past few weeks, Netanyahu drew up his extremism to woo the Israeli rightwing and reiterated earlier this month his intention to impose Israeli sovereignty on settlements in the territories occupied in 1967, stressing that he does not distinguish between settlement blocs and the isolated settlements.
Moreover, the Israeli Prime Minister stormed the Tomb of the Patriarchs on September fourth, saying that the occupation would remain in Hebron forever; he also announced, few days ago, his intention to impose sovereignty on the Jordan Valley and the northern Dead Sea.
Meanwhile, "the Blue and White" party, led by former army chief of staff Benny Gantz, remains Netanyahu's strongest rival.
Speaking to KUNA, political analyst of Israeli affairs Esmat Mansour said that the Israeli-Palestinian peace process has not featured prominently in electoral debates leading up to the election.
On the contrary, Gantz promised not to uproot any Jordan Valley settlements, and Netanyahu Pledged to annex Jordan Valley in occupied West Bank if re-elected, he added.
Mansour believes that the current round of elections is crucial for Netanyahu, because if he fails, he will find himself in prison, so he makes promises and stepped up his rhetoric, with guidance from allies in Trump administration.
Journalist Walid Al-Omari said in a seminar in Ramallah, that Netanyahu presents himself as "an international player", superior to his rivals in the elections, by holding meetings with the Russian president and the British prime minister and receiving support from US president.
As for the leftwing parties, the Labor program is based on socio-economic issues and does not address the Palestinian issue, according to the Israeli newspaper (Haaretz).
"The leftwing parties are almost extinct on the sidelines of Israeli politics, especially Labor and Meretz," Mansour said, adding that there is no real opposition to the right-wing program that proposes annexation and bury the two-state solution.
According to the Central Election Commission of Israel, 6 million are eligible to vote, including 900,000 Arabs.
A recent poll conducted by Ramallah-based Jerusalem Media and Communications Centre showed that 69 percent of Palestinians were not interested in the elections, and 41.1 percent said it would have a negative impact on the Palestinian cause.
Professor of political science at An-Najah National University in Nablus, Amjad Abu Al-Ezz said the Palestinian lack of interest in the elections is due to several reasons, most notably the consistency of the left and right approach in Israel over the past 25 years following the signing of the peace agreement between the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Israel.
"There has been a change in roles and policies between the right and left parties, with the same agenda", Abu Al-Ezz told KUNA.
"The other thing is that the Palestinian leadership is incapable of dealing with the Israeli government, whether from the right or the left," he said, adding that the Israeli society is more leaning towards the right wing.
The 120-member Knesset is Israel's legislature. Members of Knesset are elected every four years within the framework of parties that compete for the The Knesset (parliament) has 120 members; elections are held every four years and can dissolve itself and call early elections with the approval of 61 members, as was the case last May. (end) nq.haqaq