Mandates (מנדטים) – Seats in the Knesset
Knesset (כנסת) – Israeli parliament (120 seats)
Memshala (ממשלה) - Government
Achuz Hatzba’a (אחוז ההצבעה) – Voting percentage
The rules of the game (חוקי המשחק):
The purpose of the election is to choose the party you identify most with based on its ideology and agenda.
Unlike prior to the year 2000 where there were 2 major parties (usually about 40 mandates each), today there are more than 20 parties to choose from, the biggest of which will have about 30 mandates tops.
Therefore, all parties must recommend 1 party to be the one to try and build a strong coalition to include more than 61 mandates.
The number of voters needed to comprise 1 mandate is based on the total number of people participating in the election and realizing their right to vote.
Important factor - Achuz Hachsima (אחוז החסימה) – a party must have more than 4 mandates to be able to “play the game” or else it is out of it = will not be a part of the future Knesset = all votes for such parties will be eliminated.
2 unprecedent factors re the elections taking place today / mind games:
1.More than 5 (!) medium parties are in danger of not passing Achuz Hachasima = about 300,000 votes (out of 6,578,084 potential voters) are out the window;
2. There is a remarkably high (relatively to past years) percentages of voters in the Arabic sector which usually considered to be low; Arabic parties may be the key determining the future of the elections;
3.People voting strategically = they are not voting to the party they most believe in, but to parties they know are in danger not passing Achuz Hachasima (אחוז החסימה) in order for such parties to give better chance in building strong coalition.
The biggest difference from any other election ever taking place in Israel:
In the past +- 70 years, the potential government to be is either:
(a) non-religious, open for the option of changing the borders of Israel, a socialist government;
or
(b) conservative yet liberal “Eretz Israel Hashlema ארץ ישראל השלמה” government.
Today this is not the issue.
This time it is all about changing the method of administration, laws, basic lines and governance of Israel as we currently know it.
It will be the difference between liberal Israeli country and religious country.
I am not stating my own political agenda. I am quoting the leaders of all parties saying:
זאת בחירה בין ישראל ישראלית וישראל יהודית”
“This is a choice between Israeli Israel and Jewish Israel
Lastly, Israelis are sick and tired from this situation. Dead-end for the 4th time dragging us to 5th election, costing the country millions of Shekels (if not more),
I was amazed to see that even though we keep speaking badly about our country and its democracy, today was the highest Achuz Hatzba’a ever (אחוז ההצבעה הגבוה ביותר) – about 68% - including flights coming into the airport just to vote.
I don’t know how this is all going to end. I just hope Israel will stay democracy. Before today I was sad and depressed, but today I am hopeful just to know that here in Israel we never lose hope.
איו לי ארץ אחרת
מילים: אהוד מנור
לחן:קורין אלאל
אין לי ארץ אחרת
גם אם אדמתי בוערת
רק מילה בעברית חודרת
אל עורקיי, אל נשמתי
בגוף כואב, בלב רעב
כאן הוא ביתי
לא אשתוק, כי ארצי
שינתה את פניה
לא אוותר לה,
אזכיר לה,
ואשיר כאן באוזניה
עד שתפקח את עיניה
אין לי ארץ אחרת
גם אם אדמתי בוערת
רק מילה בעברית חודרת
אל עורקיי, אל נשמתי
בגוף כואב, בלב רעב
כאן הוא ביתי
לא אשתוק, כי ארצי
שינתה את פניה
לא אוותר לה,
אזכיר לה,
ואשיר כאן באוזניה
עד שתפקח את עיניה
אין לי ארץ אחרת
עד שתחדש ימיה
עד שתפקח את עיניה
אין לי ארץ אחרת
גם אם אדמתי בוערת
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