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From October 2012

So the elections to the Israeli Knesset are behind us, for now.

Israeli is a parliamentary democracy, which means its electoral system is different from that of the US.

We have loads of parties, which receive a number of seats in the Knesset in accordance with the percentage of votes in the election. Parties and their leaders frequently play musical chairs here too, joining forces and forming new parties, in order to increase chances of receiving extra seats.

The results of the elections are as follows:

Likud, lead by Bibi Netanyahu, which was recently joined by Israel Beitenu (Israel Our Home), lead by Avigdor Lieberman, creating Likud Beitenu (23% of the votes)

Yesh Atid (There's Future), lead by Yair Lapid (14% of the votes)

Avoda (Labor), lead by Shelly Yechimovich (11% of the votes)

Shas (the largest religious party), lead by Eli Yishai (9% of the votes)

Habayit HaYehudi (Jewish Home), lead by Naftali Bennett (9% of the votes)

Yahadut HaTorah (United Torah Judaism), lead by Yaakov Litzman (5% of the votes)

HaTnua (The Movement), lead by Tzipi Livni (5% of the votes)

Meretz, lead by Zahava Gal-On (5% of the votes)

United Arab List, lead by Ahmad Tibi (4% of the votes)

and Hadash, an acronym for the Democratic Vision for Peace and equality, lead by Mohammed Barakeh (3% of the votes)

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The obvious losers are The Greens, a pro-Marijuana Green Leaf party and, which is particularly disappointing, a new pro-transparency and anti-corruption party, Eretz Hadasha. Oh well, we'll hope to see them in the Knesset in 4 years!

Interesting facts about the elections are:

- So far, the election results are split exactly down the middle! Right-wing parties received 60 seats and left-wing parties received 60 seats.

- Now the Likud, the leading party, needs to form a coalition of at least 50% of the government. If it fails to do so, Israel will have another election!

- Yair Lapid is the obvious star of the elections; he will most likely receive an important position, such as a Foreign Minister

- Israeli elections are dominated by leaders who come from journalism background (Yair Lapid, Shelly Yechimovich). Here, charisma and celebrity status of the leaders plays an important role in their party's success

- Tzipi Livni who lead Kadima created by Ariel Sharon, who's been in a medical coma since the time Israel withdrew from Gaza, and started in Likud, has lost much of her appeal with the public. In the last election, she failed to form a coalition of the government majority.

- Likud and Israel Beitenu seem to have achieved economy of scope by joining forces and seem to have received less votes than they would if they ran separately.

영상 제목은 "첫 경험(?)은 안전하게" 정도 될텐데, 당연히 안전하게 찌피를 택하라는 메세지.

언제나 골다 메이어 총리같은 강력한 여성 총리 후보로 지명되던 카디마당의 찌피. 찌피 리브니의 이니셜을 따 צ פ 를 로고 타입으로 밀고 있는 듯.

페이스북이나 인터넷 상으로 이정도 정치광고 해주는 것도  나쁘지 않다고 생각한다. 정치 엄숙주의가 세상에서 제일 나쁜 일이고 누군가는 소외치키는 일이니까. 찌피 본인도 직접 나온다는 점에서 단순히 취향(?)용 광고는 아닌 것 같아 한국을 한번 더 돌아보게 된다.

그나저나 사귀는 걸 베야하드 ביחד - 하나가되다 - 라고 하는 거구나. 히브리어 배우면서 이런 건 결국 길에서 배워야 하는 거구나 ㅠ.ㅠ

영상 마지막에 친구가 되어줄거지 정도로 רוצו לספר לחבריה - 뛰어! 친구들에게 말해 -나오는데 좀 와닫게 의역하면 - 동무가 되어줄거지? - 가 아닐까? 지지를 요청하는 말인 듯 한데. 언제나 이스라엘식 표현은 한국 문화기반의 나에게 어렵게 다가온다.

이스라엘은 약간 사회주의적 말투가 존재하는데 아무래도 러시아에서 먼저와 정착한 사람들 때문인 듯 하다. 우리에게 익숙한 키부츠도 당연히 사회주의 공동체였다. 이민자 사회였고 다양한 국가에서 모인 배경에서 계급과 신분적 편견과 격차 없는 사회를 원해서 초창기 울판(어학당)에서부터 하베림 - 친구, 동무 - 로 서로를 부르게 했다던 사실을 떠올리게 된다.