My thoughts on the unification between Labor under Yitzchak Herzog and Hatnua under Tzippi Livni:
1. I am not quite sure how this is working. Are the two parties merging? Are they two separate parties running a joint list, similar to what Likud and Yisrael Beyteynu did last time? Is Hatnua folding and its members joining Labor?
2. Herzog was smart enough to take the first slot in the rotation. Going back to the foundation of the State of Israel, the average government has lasted about 2.5 years until new elections were called. By taking the first slot, Herzog guarantees for himself, if Labor should win the elections, the prime ministerial position, and the possibility of Livni's slot actually happening is a question.
3. I heard the press conference on the radio. I wonder why Tzippi Livni kept calling him "Herzog" and not using his first name, both names, his nickname Boojie, or Mr. Herzog. It sounded strange.
4. Herzog spoke about unity solving Israel's problems, specifically mentioning various aspects of the economy. While unity can do a lot and help overcome problems, I would have liked to hear his, or their, plan to solve the problems he says Netanyahu created of cost of living increases, Israelis not finishing the month, low salaries, etc. Unity is important and helpful, but I'd like to hear an actual plan for the problems he claims he will be able to solve.
5. Rotations for heads of government have generally been used in the past for unity governments. The one that comes to mind immediately was Shimon Peres and Yitzchak Shamir's arrangement. Doing a rotation of the prime minister position from your own party seems strange and seems to portray instability. I wonder how that will play out in the publics eyes in the coming weeks.
6. Still on the rotation, the pundits looking at the various polls and coming up with commentary based on them have been saying, prior to this agreement with Livni, that if Herzog wins his only option would be a unity government with the Likud. I don't know if that is true or not, but assuming the scenario the pundits talk about has a good chance of happening, how would such a rotation government work now - Herzog two years, Livni two years, and Netanyahu for how long? Would they each go down to 1.3 years? Will this arrangement mean that Herzog, if he should win, would no longer need to be limited to the sole option of a unity government?
7. if Labor should not win the elections in March, what happens to this unity? Will they say together? This seems to be Livni's ticket to the Prime Minister seat, but if that won't get her there, then what? will she jump ship again and look for another party to join?
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