Keep an eye on Lieberman

Rightist leader enjoys growing support, appeals to disillusioned voters

Attila Somfalvi - Ynet News

This is no longer merely a question of polls: Avigdor Lieberman and his party, Israel Beiteinu, are on the rise. Lieberman is the bon-ton; he is the new trend. More and more centrist voters despaired with security realities are looking his way.

We can hear it almost everywhere: At coffee shops, during living room conversations, at bars, and during lively discussions around tables packed with red wine.

In respect to the upcoming elections, Lieberman has turned into the last resort; the safe haven. Those who do not want Tzipi Livni or cannot stand Benjamin Netanyahu, and are sick and tired of debating, are shifting over to Lieberman.

The man who only a few years ago was largely ostracized has become the leader of those who lost any hope or faith in the possibility of securing peace or engaging in talks with the Arabs. The war in Gaza indeed restored the public’s sense of security and lowered the anxiety level, yet Lieberman is perceived as the man who will know how to do what needs to be done so that no more missiles land around here.

Excellent coalition partner

Both Livni and Barak, by the way, view Lieberman as an excellent option for coalition partnerships. They see him as a serious man and find him to display pragmatism, even if it is hidden behind the veil of curses he hurls at the Arabs.

The feelings regarding Lieberman’s rise are also supported by in depth research undertaken by the various parties. In Kadima, for example, officials identified 15 Knesset seats that freely move along the center-Left to center-Right axis. These are traditional voters for Likud, Labor, and Kadima – yet all of a sudden, quite a few of them are doing away with their dilemmas and ending up endorsing Lieberman.

Members of the political establishment estimate that Lieberman will be the surprise of the upcoming elections. They say that the polls, as flattering as they may be, are still underestimating his future success.