Israeli Elections today

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Benjamin Netanyahu, 59, leader of the Right-wing Likud party.

The former prime minister, who led a hardline government between 1996 and 1999, was the election’s undisputed front-runner until this week. Mr Netanyahu, a former Captain in Israel’s version of the SAS, comes from a venerable Israeli family. His brother, Yoni, was killed while leading the raid on Entebbe that successfully freed Israeli and French hostages in 1976.

Mr Netanyahu has always been deeply ambivalent about a peace settlement with the Palestinians and his intransigence as prime minister exasperated President Clinton’s administration. At heart, however, Mr Netanyahu is a pragmatist and he has tacked towards the political centre during this campaign.

Tzipi Livni, 50, foreign minister and leader of the centrist Kadima party.

Miss Livni is bidding to become Israel’s first female prime minister since Golda Meir in the 1970s. The foreign minister bills herself as a new kind of politician, yet she is steeped in the folklore of Israel. Her father was a prominent figure in the Irgun, the Jewish guerrilla group which fought British rule in Palestine before Israel’s birth in 1948. Miss Livni served in Mossad, Israel’s version of MI6, before entering the Knesset as a Right-wing Likud member.

But she joined the new centrist Kadima party in 2005 and is now seen as a pragmatic figure, open to a possible settlement with the Palestinians. As such, Miss Livni is quietly favoured by Western governments.

Avigdor Lieberman, 50, leader of the hard-Right Yisrael Beiteinu party

Born in the Soviet Republic of Moldova, Mr Lieberman emigrated to Israel in 1978. The growing popularity of his ultranationalist party will almost certainly make him kingmaker after this election.

Mr Lieberman is on the hard right, but he is a secular figure, not a religious one, and he does not oppose the principle of Palestinian statehood. While he views Israel’s large Arab minority as a fifth column and proposes subjecting them all to a “loyalty test”, he is not regarded as untouchable by the centre-left parties. Mr Lieberman has already held four cabinet posts in various coalitions and will probably become a powerful minister in the new government.

Ehud Barak, 66, defence minister and leader of the Labour Party

Although his handling of the Gaza operation boosted Mr Barak’s popularity, he has virtually no chance of becoming prime minister after this election. Instead, the latest polls place Labour in fourth place and the best that Mr Barak can hope for is to keep his present job in a new coalition.

The most decorated soldier in Israeli history, Mr Barak rose to become chief of staff and prime minister between 1999 and 2001. He came close to concluding a historic settlement with Yasser Arafat, the late Palestinian leader. A famously irascible and difficult character, Mr Barak exasperated Western leaders with his erratic approach towards peace.

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Tzipi Livni, FTW!

[JODO 2]

Bibi always runs, why does Likud keep recycling the same people? That Lieberman guy sure is an interesting fellow. I think Livni will win, but it will be close. From what I have read, it appears that the Lieberman guy will be kingmaker in any event.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Tzipi Livni, FTW!

Israel's version of Avril Phaedra Douglas Campbell aka "Kim" Campbell, Canada's designated takefall-loser PM 1993/06/23-1993/11/04 (total term 132 days).

[almaty 19]

interesting