Ira Sharkansky

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — It’s been a tense few days. After a rocket attack that destroyed a home north of Tel Aviv and wounded family members, the IDF responded with a massive destruction of empty buildings in Gaza. Included in the destruction was the building of the Hamas leader’s office. Then there was an

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — The election may not decide anything. The clusters of parties seem nearly tied in recent polls, with neither right nor center-left clearly able to amass the seats need to form a government. What comes next will be long and messy, and ultimately create a government. Or another election. At the

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — There are polls every day or two. You can see the latest by clicking here. They pretty much are showing a tie, or close to it between the center-left and the right. Bibi is a sharp campaigner, managing to label his opponents the leftists, with the help of media and

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — We now have the indictments, subject to hearings, on three cases against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. On one, involving gifts amounting to nearly a half million shekels, the indictment will be for breach of trust. On another, involving discussions with the publisher of Yedioth Aharonoth, the indictment is fraud and

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — We’ve come to the end of the period for registering parties and listing their candidates. It was a hectic final day. Two clusters formed, one to the right and one in the center. Prime Minister Netannyahu postponed a visit with Vladimir Putin so he could pressure what remained of Jewish

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — We’re now in a hot spot, a few days before the parties must finalize their existence and candidates prior to the April election. And who knows how long before the announcement about Bibi’s indictment? Each newscast provides us with commentary, and often another survey. Intellectually, it’s a mess. But we

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Despite a fierce attack from Bibi, Gideon Sa’ar succeeded in getting to #5 on the Knesset list of Likud. Above him are Netanyahu, Yuli Edelstein, Yitzhak Katz, and Gilad Erdan. Bibi responded with a comment that Sa’ar couldn’t expect to be a senior minister in his next government. Beneath Bibi’s

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — After several weeks of polling as many as 15 seats, but not talking, the former IDF Commander in Chief Benny Gantz announced that he would kick off his campaign. Media personalities spoke about the prospect for days, with highlighted comments leading up to the event. It was a great occasion.

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM  — Our attention moved north. Initially there was an Israeli air attack against Iranian sites near Damascus. Syrian sources claimed that all Israeli missiles were intercepted. Then there was a missile fired into the Golan. This was downed by Israeli defenses, and was followed by a massive attack–against Iranian facilities and

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Israeli politics continues with multiple crises. Not only are there recriminations about the split of the New Right from Jewish Home. Now there is another split, seemingly a surprise while both on the platform, with Avi Gabbay announcing the end of Zionist Union. Tsipi Livni was left with a short