The Arab party had originally been awarded on Wednesday four seats after the counting of 99.7% of the votes, but lost it on Thursday after the counting of the late-arriving votes of soldiers and others. Last night, once again the see-saw swung up for UAL-Taal, the party of former Arafat-advisor Ahmed Tibi. It was found that some 550 votes for UAL-Taal in five polling stations had been mistakenly counted for the Herut party of Michael Kleiner, which was listed alphabetically next to the Arab party. The rectification of the mistake changed the proportions of the votes, causing Labor to lose a seat. Labor's "lost" seat had been gained because of a surplus-votes agreement it had signed with Meretz.
In the meanwhile, election observers report irregularities in the Arab sector that may have contributed votes and Knesset mandates to the Arab parties. Click here to read article.
The new Knesset arrangement makes it slightly harder for Ehud Olmert to form a government coalition of his choice. A possible Kadima-Labor-Meretz-Pensioners coalition, for instance, now numbers only 60 MKs. Consequently, the negotiating positions of parties such as Shas, United Torah Judaism, and Yisrael Beiteinu have become enhanced.
UAL-Taal did not just happen upon the extra seat, but rather was spurred on to actively look for it after the party dropped from 4 MKs to 3. Several party members began to peruse the various results at the Central Election Committee headquarters, and found the Herut mistake. Other parties are now expected to follow in their footsteps and seek similar mistakes or problematic polling stations. Yisrael Beiteinu, for instance, is missing only some 150 votes in order to regain a Knesset mandate from the Likud.
The Labor Party has already taken action, reporting suspicious results in a secular moshav and in a Tel Aviv polling station. In both areas, Labor reports strangely low numbers for Labor and unduly strong support for United Torah Judaism.
President Moshe Katzav met with members of several parties today and heard their recommendations for Prime Minister. The leaders of the National Union-National Religious Party faction said they hoped an "emergency social government" could be formed by Labor's Amir Peretz, but this option is no longer a realistic one. The members of the Pensioners Party recommended Ehud Olmert of Kadima, and the UTJ party will do the same.
Ironically, the seat lost last night by Labor had been "occupied" by another Israeli-Arab, Shakeef Shanan. There will now be 11 Arab MKs in the 17th Knesset: two of Labor (Nadia Hilu and Ghaleb Majadle), and nine of the Arab parties, which also include a Jewish MK, Dov Hanin.
The number of MKs who identify themselves as religiously observant is at least 31. They are the MKs of Shas and United Torah Judaism, almost all of NU/NRP, three of Kadima (Ben-Sasson, Shneller, Elkin), one of Labor (Melchior), and at least one of Yisrael Beiteinu (Tartman).
In the meanwhile, election observers report irregularities in the Arab sector that may have contributed votes and Knesset mandates to the Arab parties. Click here to read article.
The new Knesset arrangement makes it slightly harder for Ehud Olmert to form a government coalition of his choice. A possible Kadima-Labor-Meretz-Pensioners coalition, for instance, now numbers only 60 MKs. Consequently, the negotiating positions of parties such as Shas, United Torah Judaism, and Yisrael Beiteinu have become enhanced.
UAL-Taal did not just happen upon the extra seat, but rather was spurred on to actively look for it after the party dropped from 4 MKs to 3. Several party members began to peruse the various results at the Central Election Committee headquarters, and found the Herut mistake. Other parties are now expected to follow in their footsteps and seek similar mistakes or problematic polling stations. Yisrael Beiteinu, for instance, is missing only some 150 votes in order to regain a Knesset mandate from the Likud.
The Labor Party has already taken action, reporting suspicious results in a secular moshav and in a Tel Aviv polling station. In both areas, Labor reports strangely low numbers for Labor and unduly strong support for United Torah Judaism.
President Moshe Katzav met with members of several parties today and heard their recommendations for Prime Minister. The leaders of the National Union-National Religious Party faction said they hoped an "emergency social government" could be formed by Labor's Amir Peretz, but this option is no longer a realistic one. The members of the Pensioners Party recommended Ehud Olmert of Kadima, and the UTJ party will do the same.
Ironically, the seat lost last night by Labor had been "occupied" by another Israeli-Arab, Shakeef Shanan. There will now be 11 Arab MKs in the 17th Knesset: two of Labor (Nadia Hilu and Ghaleb Majadle), and nine of the Arab parties, which also include a Jewish MK, Dov Hanin.
The number of MKs who identify themselves as religiously observant is at least 31. They are the MKs of Shas and United Torah Judaism, almost all of NU/NRP, three of Kadima (Ben-Sasson, Shneller, Elkin), one of Labor (Melchior), and at least one of Yisrael Beiteinu (Tartman).