Israeli elections – round two

Israelis went to the polls on Tuesday to settle a score about the political future of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after he failed to form a government in the wake of the last elections held only five months ago.

Netanyahu never stopped raising the stakes during his election campaign over the past few months in a bid to win the maximum public support possible, and succeed in forming a new government that does not believe in peace with the Arab world.

Netanyahu's tactics and campaign platform were conducted on the premise that the harder his stances on peace with the Palestinians are, the larger could be his support among voters.

In other words, Netanyahu has been gambling that, if given a choice between peace and the expansion of the Israeli hold on Palestinian areas, the Israelis would opt for the “greater Israel” dream, even if that would strike a fatal bow to the chances of peace with the Palestinians and the rest of the Arab world.

No wonder the Israeli prime minister expanded his lust for Palestinian lands when he revealed on the eve of the Tuesday elections that he desires Hebron, as well as an additional Palestinian territory, to become part of Israel if he is reelected by his people.

In the final analysis, how the Israeli voters cast their votes has implications not only for Israel and its destiny, but also for the entire region for decades to come. Israeli voters had a choice: either to deny Netanyahu another opportunity to govern their country and continue his reckless path, or give peace a chance.