Tzipi Livni

Both sides remain skeptical that new talks will yield any final deal

Barely a month ago, the arc of Israeli politics seemed pretty clear, if not all that promising. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party had teamed up with the even more right-wing Yisrael Beiteinu, and the combined bloc was poised to dominate the election. Its probable coalition partners included Naftali Bennett’s Jewish Home party, which wants to formally annex a chunk of the West Bank and is opposed to the creation of a Palestinian state. Israel was lurching to the right, throwing away what might be its last chance at a workable peace with the Palestinians.

The Gaza war has been a return to the bedrock policy of hitting enemies hard

Shimon Peres has chosen Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni to form a new Israeli government, giving her 42 days to pull together a coalition. When she does, Israel will have women heading three branches of government–Livni as PM,  Dalia Itzik as Knesset Speaker and Dorit Beinish president of the Supreme Court.  How many modern democracies can boast the same? Clearly a comfort level with female power explains the refreshing absence of  “gender” blather surrounding the appointment.  Still, obvious comparisons with the last woman to hold the post are being made. But as The Age argues here the mother of two and former corporate attorney and Mossad secret agent isn’t a “second Golda.”