Fallout From Lieberman and Netanyahu Combination. 17 Year After the Murder of Rabin

The news in Israel was dominated by discussion of the merger of the Likud and Lieberman's Yisrael Beiteinu. Most Likud members seem to oppose the move, both for personal reasons (believing it will hurt their own rankings within the new party), and others oppose the move on ideological grounds. Tomorrow the Likud central committee will meet. The one Likud minister who has come out publicly against the merger has demanded a secret vote. We will see the outcome tomorrow.

Meanwhile, today is the 17th anniversary of the murder of Prime Minister Rabin. I wrote a memorial piece posted in the Times of Israel. Listening to some of the speeches- both last night in Rabin square and today at the official memorial– it seems very sad to hear those who oppose everything Rabin believed in being chosen to deliver memorial speeches. They have the chutzpah to memorialize Rabin, while attacking his policies in the same breadth. Very sad. Below is a video I recorded of Yehudit Ravitz singing her popular "Milah Tovah" last night at the memorial in Rabin Square.