Brief Political Update

As you probably know, Ariel Sharon has left the Likud party to form a new party, the National Responsibility Party known as Kadima (Forward). How do I feel this? Well, I wouldn't vote for them I'd vote Labor, for Peretz. As I understand it, it's a brilliant move, leftists and rightists are converging on the view in favor of a two-state solution, though I'm not sure it's the best version of this, I'm not sure how much will actually be granted to the Palestinians and how unilateral action will be in this regard.

People are saying that the Labor party is now left of Meretz, that even Meretz might join a coalition with Kadima, and Shimon Peres thinking about joining as well. I kind of think that Labor, under Amir Peretz, has the right idea: If we end the conflict, then Israel will have more money to spend on education and social services, narrowing the growing gap between rich and poor (currently second worse in the world after the USA, not something to be proud of). I really believe that Israel has the potential to be super-functioning social democracy like a Scandinavian country, even more impressive, in fact, because of its high achieving high tech industry. But ending the conflict is necessary to achieve that dream of a more egalitarian Israel.

What do Israelis think? We spoke to one cab driver in Haifa who likes Peretz because he "cares about the little guy." An Arab English student at Haifa U hates Sharon and Peretz, thinks Yossi Beilin is ok and Shimon Peres is tolerable. Otherwise I don't really know. I'm kind of removed from it all.

Oh, apparently the Canadian government fell yesterday. Woohoo.