Thesis (M.A.) from the year 2008 in the subject Politics - Region: Near East, Near Orient, grade: 1,7, University of Heidelberg, language: English, abstract: The political earthquake that shook Israel in November 2006 eventually led to the establishment of a new party with a centre image, KADIMA, led by then-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. Only four months later, after a lot of political turmoil (domestic as well as external), including losing its charismatic leader as Sharon fell into a coma, KADIMA entered the Knesset as the largest party, and its new leader, Ehud Olmert, formed the new government. Never before had an Israeli centre party been this successful. While political parties, party systems and party positioning along the left-right continuum have been subject to research by scholars of political science, the phenomenon of the centre party has been neglected until recently. Maurice Duverger’s verdict that “the centre does not exist in politics,” seems to have had a devastating effect on centre party research: there is no universal definition and hardly any theoretical groundwork on which to base an analysis of past and contemporary centre parties. This thesis seeks to make a contribution to the quest for such a universal definition by proposing one of its own. It is partly drawn from the findings of others, such as Hans Daalder and Reuven Hazan, combining several features proposed for centre parties in general research as well as research on Israeli parties in particular. It analyzes the phenomenon of KADIMA in conjunction with former Israeli centre parties and the general changes in the Israeli political system. The research question guiding the analysis is: Why was Kadima in the elections 2006 so much more successful than any other Israeli centre party had ever been before? This is in no way the final word on centre parties in the Israeli party system, but it hopefully proves to be another step towards a more thorough understanding of the dynamics of Israeli parties. The fact that a genuine centre has emerged in Israeli society might be of great consequence for the political system (irrespective of KADIMA and its survival as a political party), but only time will show if the bickering and the scandals within KADIMA won’t lead to the disappointment of its voters and their subsequent return to the parties of the blocs.

An inspiring memoir from a woman who suffered from a stigma of shame and disgrace, Kadima: A story of overcoming secrets, sickness, and shame is a must-read for anyone who longs to know they are redeemed by grace. • Do you struggle with unforgiveness and feelings of rejection? • Have you fallen victim to the comparison trap and the “I’m not good enough” lie? • Did you grow up in a dysfunctional, yet Christian home? • Have you struggled with what it truly means to live a life that glorifies Jesus? • Do you worry you are broken beyond repair? In her twenty-first century “Amazing Grace” self-help memoir of redemption, Toni S. Mason shares her been-there done-that life with candor, sincerity, and rare vulnerability. Rejecting a lifestyle of drugs and alcohol, affairs, and recovering from a near-fatal illness, Toni reveals what it took for her to renew her Christian faith, turn around her marriage, and create an enriching Christian home for her family. Kadima speaks especially to women who are challenged by the temptations of college and new careers and those who struggle with starting over. Toni’s personal journey resonates deeply with anyone who has ever tried to live a life of faith while overcoming a shameful past. Learn how she harnessed her unique interpretation and personal experience of scripture and biblical principles to build a life of love, joy, and gratitude. Kadima will show you how you can transform your life, too.

Palestinian and Israeli Public Opinion is based on a unique project: the Joint Israeli-Palestinian Poll (JIPP). Since 2000, Jacob Shamir and Khalil Shikaki have directed joint surveys among Israelis and Palestinians, providing a rare opportunity to examine public opinion on two sides of an intractable conflict. Adopting a two-level game theory approach, Shamir and Shikaki argue that public opinion is a multifaceted phenomenon and a critical player in international politics. They examine how the Israeli and Palestinian publics' assessments, expectations, mutual perceptions and misperceptions, and overt political action fed into domestic policy formation and international negotiations -- from the failure of the 2000 Camp David summit through the second Intifada and the elections of 2006. A discussion of the study's implications for policymaking and strategic framing of future peace agreements concludes this timely and informative book.

In 1954 reporter Uri Dan met a young military commander named Ariel Sharon and followed him closely for more than half a century. Dan became Sharon's trusted advisor and a witness to the defining moments of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict--from secret meetings with heads of state to open warfare in the Sinai. This riveting combination of political history, narrative biography, interviews, and correspondence sheds new light on the conflict in the Middle East and provides an intimate, definitive portrait of Ariel Sharon--a man whose life is inextricably intertwined with Israel's destiny. With Hamas governing Palestine, Ariel Sharon gravely ill and the party he founded, the Kadima, in control of the Knesset, this book couldn't be more timely.

This book describes political and sociological developments in Israel before and after the February 2009 elections, alongside an analysis of electoral trends. It provides an effective analysis of contemporary political and sociological Israeli history. Rather than focusing narrowly on electoral politics alone, this book broadens its focus to make it relevant to undergraduate and graduate students in Middle Eastern, Israeli and Jewish studies and the liberal arts. Israel at the Polls has been updated and published annually for thirty years, providing readers with up-to-date analysis and continuity of scholarship; this book offers an expert long-term assessment of Israeli politics. This book was published as a special issue of Israel Affairs.

The 2006 elections constitute a major redrawing of the political map in Israel due to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s exit from the Likud party and his creation of a new centre party, Kadima. Following Israel’s unilateral withdrawal from Gaza, Sharon formed Kadima taking many former Likud MKs, and prominent members of the Labour party with him. Focusing particularly on the various political parties, the election campaign in the media and the main issues at stake in the election including: foreign and defence policies, social and economic issues, as well as, the issue of corruption, this book examines the impact of this reorganization of the political map. The impact of events in the Palestinian Authority and other external factors are also discussed, as well as the challenges for the new government, in the wake of the election results. This book was previously published as a special issue of Israel Affairs.