Two years after the latest legislative, Israeli political class was back in the country in recent weeks. 5.8 million voters are recalled to the polls following the Netanyahu government fell in December. The prime minister sacked two of his ministers who had sharply criticized the bill for giving Israel the status of nation-state of the Jewish people. Opponents denounced an anti-democratic project that would alienate the Arab minority, about 20% of the Israeli population.
To believe the latest polls, Likud of Benjamin Netanyahu has the advantage. Facing him, a coalition of center-left Zionist Union, led by the centrist Tzipi Livni and Labor Isaac Herzog.
For them, Netanyahu left the socio-economic situation deteriorate. Both also say they want to resume dialogue with the Palestinians and not to bet on the all-safe.
Prime Minister three times, Benjamin Nétenyahou occupies the front of the Israeli political landscape for over twenty years.
But on March 3, he may have gone too far. He spoke to members of the US Congress without going through the White House and warned very strongly against an agreement on the Iranian nuclear issue.
The question that seems to have eclipsed is whether the Israelis are more concerned about the potential Iranian nuclear threat or the Economic and Social slip in their country.
To discuss the issues of the Israeli elections, euronews interviewed Tal Schneider, political journalist and Israeli blogger.
euronews: "Tal Schneider, this is little more than two years that the Israelis went to the polls. What do they think of the elections so close together? "
Tal Schneider: "In Israel, we're used to that elections do not stick to the schedule, this is not new. But it is true that 24 months is not much. Governments should be more stable and the public is tired than they are not and that we must return to the polls so quickly. "
euronews: "So there has vis-à-vis the political class frustration. What is the biggest concern of voters? "
Tal Schneider: "We have seen a sharp rise in prices of goods and immobilize these five, six years, and people only talk about it. They do not speak of terror, they do not talk about Iran, strangely elsewhere. We talk a little terrorism, and of course, eight months after a devastating war, people talk about security, but they speak only of the Iranian issue is nevertheless one of the campaign themes of the outgoing Prime Minister, but it is not really what people have in mind. "
euronews: "And is that these economic issues explain the declining popularity of Netanyahu? "
Tal Schneider: "Netanyahu returns for the past two years the image of a distant member of the public. The air of saying economic issues do not interest me, I am mainly interested in Iran. Iran is a major threat, but of course not for everyday people. So the end of the campaign, he has really detached issues of concern to the Israelis, food, education, health, as in any other Western country. "
euronews: "What can you tell us about the challenges facing challengers Netanyahu and Tzipi Livni Isaac Herzog, the leaders of the Zionist union. They said they were going to change their approach towards the Palestinians? "
Tal Schneider: "Netanyahu comes after six years during which he did not take any initiative. Even after the war in Gaza, after which according to all the experts we could have attempted a regional agreement, it did nothing. On the other hand, Herzog has no experience in the security cabinet. It has only been Minister of Social Affairs. He has not had to deal with security issues. And we know that in recent years, he met Abu Mazen and he went to Ramallah repeatedly. His party is in contact with Fatah, maintains that contact and develops economic projects. But obviously this is something central in their program and it is central to their constituents. One of the things Herzog should resolve immediately is the relationship with the Israelis the White House. The first phone call Tuesday or Wednesday will most certainly for the White House to try to remedy the deterioration of relations in recent months has been devastating to the outside. "
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