text:
Recent Posts
Past Posts
- Guest Post — 4 Ways to Prepare for a Haunted House This Halloween
- 10 Fun & Creative Couples Costumes
- What Costume is Appropriate for an Office Halloween Party?
- Choosing the Perfect Halloween Costume
- Hercules: Legendary Movie Armor
- Magnificent Maleficent
- DIY Costumes and Tutorials
- Themed Parties for the Whole Family
- Madame LaLaurie's House of Horrors
- The Dragon of the Chinese New Year
Recent pins
Author Archives: Emma Rae Curtis
Guest Post — 4 Ways to Prepare for a Haunted House This Halloween
Today we have a little treat! A guest post from the lovely Katelyn Darrow! I'm a big fan of haunted houses, and Katelyn has some wonderful tips on preparing for these wonderful attractions. It's the season of screams and scares! … Continue reading
Posted in General Halloween Leave a comment
10 Fun & Creative Couples Costumes
If you're planning to spend this Halloween with your bestie or significant other, you might want to consider dressing as a pair. If you need some inspiration, look no further than these ten awesome duos. 1.) Double Rainbow 2.) Mary … Continue reading
What Costume is Appropriate for an Office Halloween Party?
With Halloween on the horizon, many of my co-workers have been discussing the annual Halloween party. We work in a pretty relaxed environment, and are encouraged to wear our costumes the entire day. This has naturally led to some discussion … Continue reading
Choosing the Perfect Halloween Costume
Halloween is just around the corner and I've turned my focus to finding the perfect costume. There are so many considerations and time is of the essence. I don't want to be the one person with a hastily thrown-together outfit … Continue reading
Hercules: Legendary Movie Armor
The upcoming Hercules movie, starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, looks like it could be one of those rare sword-and-armor flicks worth a watch. Don't get your hopes up, history geeks- it looks about as historically accurate as most of its … Continue reading
Magnificent Maleficent
The first Disney movie to feature a "wicked" character is coming to theaters in the next two weeks, and I am THRILLED!!! I really think that this in depth, yet relatively simple costume will be a huge hit this Halloween. … Continue reading
DIY Costumes and Tutorials
Weeping Angel A tutorial on how to make a weeping angel costume based on the terrifying creatures from Doctor Who. Don't blink! Baby Hobo This adorable kid's costume is easy to make and always gets a lot of laughs I'd … Continue reading
Themed Parties for the Whole Family
A true nerd never grows up, not really. You may get more responsible and you may have less spare time, but the imagination stays strong. One of the greatest blessings in life is to be able to coerce the next … Continue reading
Madame LaLaurie's House of Horrors
Mardi Gras falls on March 4th this year, and my husband and I are planning a fabulous trip to New Orleans to celebrate. While we'll be enjoying all the customary Mardi Gras festivities – donning masks and costumes, watching parades, … Continue reading
Posted in Ghosts & Hauntings, Spook Alley Tagged Haunted House, Madame Delphine LaLaurie, Mardi Gras, New Orleans Leave a comment
The Dragon of the Chinese New Year
After a long hiatus, I'm so pleased to return to my beloved Halloween blog! Thank you so much to my friends and family for encouraging me to pick the mantle back up and continue doing what I love. Extra special … Continue reading


text:
Sir, – It is not every Tuesday that some of us find ourselves in agreement with every word written by Jim Crumley, but this week he excelled in his article. The ruination of much of Britain, in particular Scotland, is quite appalling and his thin-edge-of-the-wedge argument over the ruination of Beauly is quite correct.Post a Comment ()
Don't close junctions; reduce speed limit
Sir, – You reported recently that some of the powers that be are proposing to stop all right turns on the A9 from Keir roundabout to Broxden roundabout. This would bring many problems to those living along this route especially farms which lie on both sides of the road.Post a Comment ()

subset: commoncrawl


text:
05/09/2014 || New material published
Some new material on how to teach orienteering in schools has been published in the "Materials' overview" section of the website.
11/06/2014 || Greetings from the creator of the Youth site
The goal of this Youth page is to help new federations and clubs to develop our sport.
23/05/2014 || Focus on Youth
"It is almost like stating the obvious to say that young people are important to the future of our sport, and young people are now a specific focus in IOF's current activity plans."


text:
> Oceania
> Fiji
> Matei
3 Holiday homes in MateiReset search
Show results on map
Filter your search
Price per day
£ to
- Fiji Clear
- Taveuni Island Clear
- Matei Clear
- All locations
less -
Property type
less -
more +
less -
less -
Also consider
- Savusavu
- 8 properties
- Matei
- 3 properties
- Nadi
- 3 properties
- Malolo Lailai
- 2 properties
- Pacific Harbour
- 2 properties
- Sigatoka
- 1 properties
- Suva
- 1 properties
Distance calculated in a straight line, road distances may differ. Confirm exact location with the property owner/manager.
To book this holiday home you need to pay through the Holiday Lettings website. We can't protect your payment if you don't pay through us. Learn more
3 Results |
Bungalow | 2 Bedrooms | sleeps 4
1 night min stay
Add to shortlist
£593 - £758 / week
Key info:
- Beach / lakeside relaxation
- Nearest beach 0 km
- Not suitable for children
- No pets allowed
- Private garden
Yanuyanu bungalow is located across from the airport in Matei, overlooking the Somosomo Strait. It has 2 bedrooms, full kitchen, daily maid service and chef if required. PADI dive shop and courses in English and German available daily. Massages, Facials etc available Dive the Rainbow Reef, explore Taveuni or get pampered with a massage. Free WIFI available …see more
House | 1 Bedroom | sleeps 2
1 night min stay
Add to shortlist
£922 / week
Key info:
- Beach / lakeside relaxation
- Nearest beach 1 km
- Swimming pool
- Not suitable for children
- Car not necessary
- No pets allowed
- Private garden
Lomani is a very rustic and romantic private beachfront cottage offering one bedroom with a four poster king size bed (covered by a mosquito net). Leading from the bedroom is a bathroom, toilet and romantic outdoor double headed stone shower. Upon arrival at Taveuni airport you will be greeted by Tukana (our caretaker) who will drive you to Lomani …see more
Beach hut | 1 Bedroom | sleeps 3
Min stay varies
Add to shortlist
£899 - £1360 / week
Key info:
- Beach / lakeside relaxation
- Not suitable for children
- Car not necessary
- No pets allowed
- Private garden
There are 3 criteria for a tropical island holiday: 1. golden, sandy beachfront (not rocks or black sand) 2. quiet (i.e. no little ones) & private (only 3 beachfront bures, all adults) 3. great food (rated #1 on Trip Advisor) …see more
This is the estimated nightly price based on a weekly stay. Contact the advertiser to confirm the price - it varies depending on when you stay and how long for.


text:
It's my 30th birthday. And I'm in one of my all-time favorite cities in the world.
There isn't a word (or an emoji, for that matter) to depict how happy I am.
After a breakfast of star-shaped pancakes and mimosas (courtesy of the Seabourn Quest), we made our way through Russian customs and onto the bus, which would be taking us to the Hermitage. Also known as one of the world's most spectacular museums.
I've been utterly blessed to have toured the extensive art collections, housed in the Winter Palace and an additional 4 buildings, twice already. I knew exactly where my favorite Picasso was, the best angle to see the ever popular Rembrandts. I also knew there was a new exhibit of historical Russian clothing that I had to see.
The downside of not getting Russian visas was that we were bound to the tours arranged by the ship. The upside of these tours were getting into the museums early, and skipping a number of lines.
Another downside – having to stay with the tour.
Our guide was excellent, moving our large group with ease through the crowded rooms and galleries. A knowledgeable art historian, she shared details of the great works in the Hermitage – the two Madonna and child paintings by Raphael, the room of exquisite Rembrandts, and the extensive Impressionist gallery housed in the museum. She touched on the politics of Russia's art collection, noting a recent failed attempt by the curator of the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Art in Moscow to bring the entire art collection under one roof. Prompted by my question, she explained in detail how the works of the Hermitage were carefully packed and shipped off to Ekaterinasburg, in central Russia, for their protection during WWII. (Ekaterinasburg was also the site of the Romanov family's exile and execution). [click to continue…]
{ 2 comments }


text:
Big Tow Company Posters
Big Tow Company Posters is exceedingly majestic and makes a fabulous wall decoration, the poster dimension is 10 x 8 inch and the price is $8.99. If you're trying to ask for top recommended Big Tow Company Posters with uncostly price, this unit is the illustrious deals for you.
Big Tow Company Posters is amazing how well received the poster has been and the creative ways purchasers have come up with to improve their own work management. The item is inclusively repetition and excrutiating detail of each item outlined in the first few chapters. This product is very inexpensive and arrived in the last few days in forceful packaging that protected this unit very well. This isand it is in magnificent shape, it is a very tasteful painting. There is a a mass of online following with any amount of resources to support Big Tow Company Posters and the practices. The produce is developed using a great quantity of processes. The eminent price for what must have taken a great of time to make. To purchase any of the product click on the print, all transactions are trusty with satisfaction guaranteed. The colors are pleasant and the poster is crazy and different, this will go perfectly in the room. Big Tow Company Posters works exquisite and it's tasteful much whatever is expected.


text:
Galaxy S and Galaxy Tab Won't Get Android 4.0
Soulskill posted about 2 years ago | from the won't-fit-on-triangular-tablets-anyway dept.333
bonch writes "Samsung has announced that the Galaxy S smartphone, which sold 10 million last year, and the Galaxy Tab tablet won't be receiving the Android 4.0 update, known as 'Ice Cream Sandwich.' Samsung claims the devices lack enough RAM and ROM to run Android 4.0 alongside TouchWiz and other custom 'experience-enhancing' software. Note that the Galaxy S runs the same hardware as the Nexus S, which is already receiving the Android 4.0 update."


text:
After the grandsons' football games, we went to Sweet Tomatoes. Being careful in my choices on the veggie buffet allowed me to leave feeling full but when I posted my calories, the dent was not too deep. All in all a good experience.
I've never been poor, only broke.
Being poor is a frame of mind.
Being broke is only a temporary situation.
Mike Todd
Don't say you don't have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein.
- H. Jackson Brown
Robert Kennedy used to quote T.S. Elliot in saying "Some men see things as they are and ask 'why'? I dream of things that never were and ask 'why not?'"
So it should be with our lives. There are a lot of things in our lives that could exist but don't for no good reason. Look at these things and ask "why not?" if you cannot come up with a good answer, make it happen!
Make it a rule of life never to regret and never to look back. Regret is an appalling waste of energy; you can't build on it, it's only good for wallowing in.
Katherine Mansfield


text:
1-10 of 30 properties to rent found
£1,750 pcm
3 bed semi-detached house to rent
£690 pw
4 bed bungalow to rent
£900 pcm
1 bedroom flat to rent EAST BARNET ROAD, Barnet, EN4
*One Bedroom First Floor Flat*Completely Re-furbished*Wooden Flooring*Gas Central Heating*Double Glazed*Fitted Kitchen*Unfurnished*Located in the Heart of East Barnet Village with Easy Access to Local Shopping Facilities & Transport Links*Available Beginning November* More details ›
£1,250 pcm
2 bedroom maisonette to rent Brookhill Road, East Barnet, EN4
LONG LET. Lovely first floor flat arranged over two floors situated within a semi-detached house conversion offering bright and spacious interiors located in the East Barnet area. More details ›
£690 pw
4 bedroom bungalow to rent Crescent Road, Barnet EN4
Duncan Chase is Proud to Present a Stunning Four Bedroom Chalet Bungalow set over two floors benefiting from a beautiful kitchen/diner, utility and three bathrooms (2 on-suite), conveniently located close to local shops, restaurants and within easy reach of New Barnet over-ground (Moorgate line).... More details ›
£1,750 pcm
3 bedroom semi-detached house to rent Mansfield Avenue, BARNET, EN4
* Three bedroom house * Family home close to schools * Off street parking for 4 cars * Kitchen/diner * Good size reception room * Study/bedroom * Brand new bathroom * Utility room * Three doub... More details ›
£1,800 pcm
3 bedroom semi-detached house to rent EAST BARNET ROAD, Barnet, EN4
Currently undergoing refurbishment, this large semi detached family home is located in the heart of East Barnet village * Four double bedrooms * Two reception rooms * Fitted kitchen/breakfast room * Bathroom * Guest WC * Part double glazed * Central heating * Rear garden * Unfurnis More details ›
£240 pw
1 bedroom apartment to rent MAGDALENE GARDENS, London, N20
A larger then average one bedroom 2nd floor apartment located within a gated development with lift, on-site residents fitness room and allocated parking. This impressive apartment boasts a bight and spacious living room, modern fitted kitchen with integral appliances, balcony More details ›
£1,850 pcm
2 bedroom apartment to rent Longmore Avenue, Barnet, London
On offer for rent is this luxurious second floor two double bedroom flat with lift. Benefits of this property include En-suite's to both bedrooms, large lounge, solid wooden flooring throughout, kitchen consists of marble worktops, dish-washer, washing machine, fridge freezer and all other mod co... More details ›
£330 pw
2 bedroom apartment to rent MAGDALENE GARDENS, London, N20
NO DEPOSIT NEEDED!Stunning 2 double bedroom flat. Property consists of 2 designer bathrooms. The flat is located on the 2nd floor in this new build development just 3 mins from the tube. Wood floors and carpets in bedrooms, designer separate kitchen, 2 balconies, underground parking, porter More details ›
Added on 19/10/2014 by Brockley Properties, London. Call: 020 3324 9086 Local call rate
- Photos: 5
- Floorplans: 0
£1,650 pcm
2 bedroom apartment to rent Longmore Avenue, East Barnet,
A stunning two double bedroom, two bathroom, first floor flat with balcony, gated parking and lift. The property which is finished to an extremely high standard further benefits from neutral decor throughout, gated development, balcony, communal garden, high spec kitchen and bathroom suites and i... More details ›
- Photos: 5
- Floorplans: 0
£1,850 pcm
3 bedroom apartment to rent Longmore Avenue, East Barnet,
Barnard Marcus are pleased to present this spacious, very modern, spacious, 3 double bedroom new build purpose built flat. The property is finished to an extremely high standard featuring from a lift, gated parking, balcony and a communal garden. This attractive block is well situated to provided... More details ›
Thank you.
Your information has been sent to 0 out of 21 agents who have property to rent in the area you specified.


text:
Student Life >> Browse Articles
Browse Student News Articles
3 People to Get to Know in Your First College SemesterYour first year of college will be a whirlwind of unfamiliar extracurricular and social activities, individuals, and learning opportunities, and it can quickly become overwhelming. So, which people should you seek out now to make sure you stay on track during that first semester? 1. A Junior in Your Desired Major There are many students who have already started along your ...Published about 1 month ago |
Your College Experiences ChecklistYou can easily make the most of college life – starting with the life experiences on this checklist. All of the list items will provide you with experiences that are unique to college life. Make sure you consider taking on these opportunities before you're cast out into the "real" world because you may never have the same options again. Living with ...Published about 1 month ago |
Finding the Right College JobMost of us have started our new lives on college campuses around the nation. Between orientations, new clubs, classes, and freedom, we are starting to feel like adults (at least, a little). But with all that fun, comes financial responsibility (a whole lot of it). Books, alone, can cost up to $400 per semester; so when you add in recreational uses, ...Published about 1 month ago |
How to Get a High School InternshipFor a high school student, the summer feels like a vast stretch of joyous relaxation after months of thankless essays and never-ending flashcards. Two and a half months each year are set aside solely for rest and rejuvenation. However, boredom can quickly settle in, and two and a half months is a long time to spend tanning in your backyard. Many ...Published about 1 month ago |
3 Ways to Resolve Your Roommate CrisisRoommate relationships can go a multitude of ways. People end up being the best of friends, they can't stand each other or they just tolerate the other person with no real relationship. Of course everyone wants the first scenario to happen, especially since most people don't know anyone their first week. But, if your roommate situation has been moving the opposite ...Published about 1 month ago |
Coping with a Bad RoommateYou've got the roommate everyone dreads – they're dirty, they use your stuff and they're up all hours of the night doing who-knows-what with so-and-so. If they won't leave your stuff alone, eat your food and borrow things without permission you've got different options (some of which are not recommended) of how to deal with the situation. You can deal with ...Published about 1 month ago |
Roommate RehabSure, the first couple of days - or even weeks - seemed fine. But, when roommates are involved things can go awry in an instant. Don't get too discouraged, it's difficult to live with anyone and a stranger can be even more of a challenge. There are ways to work out your issues easily and effectively. Use the following tips as ...Published about 1 month ago |
Top Party Schools throughout History: 1993-2015Each August, there are students excitedly wait in anticipation to discover which school was crowned the year's top party school by The Princeton Review. Other students animatedly vocalize their resentment for the mere existence of such a list. Then, of course, there are the college administrators, who anxiously await in anticipation of the listings, which will likely impact whether or not ...Published about 1 month ago |
Pros & Cons of Friends as RoommatesLet's debate: should friends room together in college? This is an issue which can be especially relevant to incoming freshman when they are forced to decide upon a roommate. There are solid arguments to both sides. So, let's analyze the pros and cons of rooming with a buddy. It's up to you to determine which side you agree with most and ...Published about 1 month ago |
Creating a Perfect Class ScheduleOnce students graduate high school, the back to school dynamic changes drastically. When summer begins to come to a close for high school students, a sweeping sadness envelopes everyone. No one wants summer to end, including students, teachers and faculty. But when you get to college, getting back to school is probably the most exciting time of the summer. Seeing all ...Published about 1 month ago |
Are You the Bad Roommate?A very wise man once said, "If you don't have a weird roommate, you are the weird roommate." Okay, it was Conan O'Brien, not Confucius, but it still might hold truth. After all, nobody's perfect so your normal may be someone else's weird. There are ways to cope with bad roommates – but that's almost easier than realizing that you are ...Published about 1 month ago |
Getting a Part-time Job as a StudentThere are many different reasons as to if why you would want or need a part-time job as a high school student. Maybe your family needs the financial help, you're saving for college or you just want some extra cash handy. Whatever the reason, getting a part-time job can be very rewarding. A part-time job shows colleges you understand how the ...Published about 1 month ago |
Textbook Tips: Buying & SavingIt's the time of year dreaded by every student and their bank account: textbook buying season. Somehow, it's so much easier to cough up for tuition and room and board than each hundred-dollar-or-more behemoth that often professors only use once or twice over the course of the semester. Hopefully, though, I can help make your purchasing experience a little less painful, ...Published about 1 month ago |
Study Abroad Checklist: Be PreparedOne of the best things I have ever experienced in college was studying abroad. To step on foreign land and enjoy, first-hand, a culture so diverse from your own is surreal and can be one of your fondest memories. I am an undergraduate at Arcadia University and, at my school, freshman and transfers are offered Preview; this is a two-credit, spring ...Published about 1 month ago |
Fastweb Launches 2014-2015 Student Contributors ProgramThis September, Fastweb is launching its annual Student Contributor series. The series features articles written by students (who are also Fastweb users) on student-related experiences and issues while giving students the unique opportunity to gain writing experience and share their voice with peers through written article contributions. Articles focus on relevant student-focused issues such as the college applications and admissions processes, ...Published about 1 month ago |
Preparing for the Practice Exam: PSAT TipsAll around, pencils tap furiously, students chomp nails to nibs and teeth chatter like a parade of woodpeckers. Suddenly, the proctor's wearily-spoken instructions blur together and the walls seem to close in - right before many high schoolers' most important test. The SAT room pressure can escalate to unfeasible extents, and sometimes just knowing the material is not enough. Experience in ...Published about 1 month ago |
Advice from a Scholarship Winner (and Loser)I'll be honest: I hate writing scholarship essays. I hated it back in high school, senior year, writing handfuls of essays for countless different organizations, only to lose out on most of them in the end. There were only two scholarships that I received my first semester of college: one from my high school student council for serving as treasury secretary ...Published about 1 month ago |
25 EPIC College CoursesFrom wacky to fabulous, colleges and universities are offering courses that classify as downright epic to their students. The pros? The interesting approaches may engage students in subjects that they may not otherwise have paid attention or expressed interest in. Schools also argue that the offbeat courses breed creativity and provides different ways of looking at the usual or mundane. Cons? ...Published 2 months ago |
Stop Sabotaging Your Semester Before You StartThe college search and admissions processes and your grades suffer from disorganization – but, with a few organization tips, you could be on track for your most successful semester yet. And, because your future is at stake, it's time to recognize that being disorganized can seriously impact your performance as a student. Once you've done so, there are easy ways to ...Published 2 months ago |
Say Hello to That 4.0!Let's make a goal: get a 4.0 this semester. Don't say it's impossible – it's not. Seriously! Need inspiration? Nothing is impossible, the word itself says 'I'm possible'!" –Audrey Hepburn Still need convincing? Don't worry – we're here to help you through it. By using the following 15 tips as a guide, any student can achieve above and beyond and ace ...Published 2 months ago |


text:
SMSCaster E-Marketer
SMSCaster E-Marketer free download with Softonic Downloader
- Free & fast download
- Always available
- Tested virus-free
Searches relatedto SMSCaster E-Marketer
sms caster full version
sms broadcast 1.5
smscaster e marketer 3.6
smscaster 3.6 full version
smscaster 3.6
- sms caster 3.5
- download sms caster 2.9
- cast sms
- smscaster e marketer 2.2
- smscaster
- e caster sms
- sms caster
- smscaster e marketer 3.5
- sms caster 2.8
Other optionsfor SMSCaster E-Marketer
Your program is now downloading.More information about this download
How to download with Softonic downloader?
1- Click on Run
2- Run file
If you choose save option
Execute the file from your download default folder
What is Softonic Downloader?
It's a free tool requiring no registration that ensures fast and secure downloads from Softonic and ensures the download links always work for you.
Guaranteed download,
no more broken links.
Speeds up download
Softonic guarantee.
More than 30 antivirus engines used
More info about Security Seal.
Alternative download links from external server
If the download doesn't start automatically, click here
Alternatives to SMSCaster E-Marketer:
Top Downloads: General
Top Downloads
Microsoft PowerPoint
The best presentation software around
- Citrix GoToMeeting
- Anti Scam Indicator for...
- Gretl
- ...
- 26 SMSCaster E-Marketer
Top Downloads
Microsoft PowerPoint
The best presentation software around
- Anti Scam Indicator for...
- Excel Converter
- Gretl
- ...
- 26 SMSCaster E-Marketer
Articles SMSCaster E-Marketer
Windows 10: the 10 most wanted features
Microsoft launched a Windows Features Suggestion box to collect the feedback of Windows users and find... See more
Windows 9 rumor roundup
Microsoft is holding a special event about the future of Windows today. What can we expect to see?... See more
Related videos SMSCaster E-Marketer
Microsoft Office 2010 - Release official video (beta version)
Microsoft official video in which we see the features of Microsoft Office 2010.
How to download and install Office 2013
Find out how to download and install the Microsoft Office 2013 preview version on your PC
How to download and install Office 2013
Find out how to download and install the Microsoft Office 2013 preview version on your PC


text:
Short links for September 15th, 2010
Some interesting things I found recently: # Everything is a Remix, Part 1 : Everything Is a Remix Check Songs Used in Everything is a Remix Part 1 for details. # Dan303: FREE Samples: "Synth … read more
Some interesting things I found recently: # Everything is a Remix, Part 1 : Everything Is a Remix Check Songs Used in Everything is a Remix Part 1 for details. # Dan303: FREE Samples: "Synth … read more
Findremix has announced the Cid Inc. Remix Contest, a chance to remix "Filaments", an exclusive track created exclusively for this contest. Named by Beatport as one of their Progressive House Artists of 2009, Henri Hurtig … read more
Loopmasters has released DJ Mixtools 04 – Deep and Soulful House, the latest series of sample packs for DJs and live artists. In-house Loopmasters producer ANDY LEE who is know internationally by his CENTRAL AVENUE … read more
Burn Studios has launched a Cassius Remix Competition, a chance to remix a track by Cassius and win various prizes. To ignite creativity in music production, Burn Studios has launched the first in a series … read more
Loopmasters is launching DJ Mixtools, a brand new concept for forward-thinking DJs and live artists. Imagine buying a track but then being able to separate that track into its key elements and having royaltee free … read more
Sonic Academy has announced the release of How To Remix a new video tutorial on remixing, a must-have skill for any up-and-coming music producer. Currently released with Ableton Live and Propellerhead Reason versions, the series … read more
FindRemix has announced the Electro House Shoxx Remix Contest, an exclusive remix contest in collaboration with Prime Loops. This time we are giving you a sample selection from bestseller Electro House Shoxx sample library from … read more
FindRemix has announced the Luca Ricci AKA Against The Grain Remix Contest. We have teamed up with Ohmforce, SoundCloud, Groove3 and Prime Loops to start another big remix contest. Winners will receive prizes by them … read more
Laptoprockers has announced the Denis A 'Heroin' Remix Contest, a chance to win a release on Denis' DAR label and FabFilter plug-ins. Ever since Denis Alentieff became Denis A in 2007, Moscow's rising star is … read more
Sound Trends has released version 1.2 of Looptastic HD, a live remix app for iPad. Create your own non-stop remixes in an incredibly intuitive way. Combine over 900 high-quality loops with your own imported samples … read more
IK Multimedia has announced that its GrooveMaker range of remixing apps is now available for the iPad. Released for the iPhone and iPod touch in August 2009, GrooveMaker has become one of the most popular … read more
Buzzy Team has announced the release of the Platinumloops App, a music app for iPhone/iPod Touch. With loops from http://www.platinumloops.com the Platinumloops app gives you all the tools you need to start mixing some really … read more
Ohm Force has announced the Remix Cohmpetition 2010, a music production contest with $4,000 USD in prizes. The track to be remixed is "Stride", the new release from talented american progressive house producer/DJ Derek Howell … read more
Laptoprockers has announced a Remix Contest with Psytrance pioneers Eat Static. Featuring a drum & bass track, a rock ballad and a synth-pop song in previous remix contests, this time Laptoprockers have joined forces with … read more
Aftershock Promotions has launched a new remix competition. We are back with another remix contest and this time it's your chance to remix the voice of Melanie Weston in Deep Velvet's house track 'Over You'. … read more
Some interesting things I found recently: # Tactile Metronome – Wayne and Layne The Tactile Metronome is a tap-controlled metronome and "beat looper." "Syncopation machine." "Metronome with an attitude." You tap the piezo speaker to … read more
iZotope has announced the release of iDrum: Depeche Mode Sounds of the Universe, a new iPhone/iPod Touch app that lets you interact with, and instantly remix, elements from the legendary band's new album. Take control … read more
Laptoprockers has announced "The Rat" remix contest, featuring a track by one of America's hottest new rock bands: Dead Confederate. Originally a high school band, Dead Confederate is spreading a new breed of dark, raw, … read more
Some interesting things I found recently: # The Stretta Procedure: obo Matthew writes: There was a recent request on the monome forums for an application that does what the popular tonematrix does, which itself is … read more
A new version of the Mixblendr software package has been released. Mixblendr is open source audio editing and remixing software that you can install on your website. Mixblendr lets fans create remixes in real-time in … read more


text:
Results tagged "Afghanistan"
Would you like to limit the tag results display to a specific section?
If you do, then pick any of the sections below:
Or simply go to the aggregated tag results from:
Obama faces choice on Petraeus
ISAF targets Taliban commander linked to 'suicide camps' in Afghan northThe Taliban commander targeted in the raid is linked to foreign fighters and suicide training camps in the northern province of Sar-i-Pul.
Security forces killed more than 40 Taliban fighters in Helmand and Kunar and detained several more in Uruzgan and Khost. The Taliban killed two civilians in Uruzgan. The governor of Kunar escaped an assassination attempt.
International conference on Afghan mines to open in London
Afghanistan plans departure of security firms
Pressure mounts on all parties in Afghan war to begin talks
ISAF suspends ground commander, helicopter crew during investigation into civilian deaths in KunarThe US soldiers have been suspended while an investigation is underway into the deaths of two Afghan boys who were watering a field at nighttime.
Security forces killed and captured several Taliban and Haqqani Network commanders and fighters in Helmand, Kunar, Khost, Paktika, and Nangarhar. ISAF suspended a ground commander and a helicopter crew during an investigation into civilian deaths in Kunar. An Afghan military official said the Taliban killed 21 Afghan soldiers in the past 25 days.
Taliban leaders divided - Afghan national security directorate
US advisers saw early signs of trouble at Afghan Bank
General Petraeus testified to Congress on Afghanistan. The Taliban killed a provincial council member in Laghman and a high school principal in Nangarhar. Security forces killed and captured several Taliban, HIG, and IMU fighters in Helmand, Kandahar, Zabul, Khost, Paktika, and Logar.
Full text of General Petraeus' testimony to Congress
Afghanistan - Senators want defence minister, Peace Council to go
McCain upbeat on Afghan war's progress
Royal Irish Regiment air assault
Taliban bombing campaign hits Afghan north
Europe's leaders fear Libya could become next Afghanistan
A Taliban suicide bomber killed 37 Afghans at an Army recruitment center in Kunduz. The Taliban killed a civilian in an IED attack in Nangarhar. Security forces killed and captured several Taliban, HIG, and IMU fighters in Helmand, Kunar, Kandahar, Zabul, Ghazni, Khost, and Baghlan.
Pentagon's quiet shift on Afghanistan war: Maybe safe havens aren't crucial


text:
Darrell W. Cook
Oct 2, 2014
Michael Polchies
Sep 25, 2014
Jarrett M. Cote
Sep 18, 2014
Christopher Stevens
Sep 4, 2014
Home » News » Crime
Deerfield police say woman fired gun as officer was arresting companion
DEERFIELD - Shots were fired early Wednesday morning as a police officer was arresting a man after responding to a 911 hangup call on Old Center Road.
Officer Roger St. Onge suffered minor injuries, what police described as bumps and bruises, in the incident. He was treated at a local hospital and then released.
The incident began about 12:30 a.m. when police received a 911 hangup call from the residence. Police said St. Onge was at the front door reaching for the door handle when he was rushed and tackled by Stanley West, 40, who punched him several times in the face and head, according to a news release.
As the two men struggled, police said Jane Schultz, 44, shot off two rounds from a handgun. St. Onge managed to handcuff West and then drew his gun on Schultz, 44, who dropped hers. He then arrested her without further incident.
Schultz is charged with felony reckless conduct, while West is facing four counts of simple assault, one count of resisting arrest and one count of disorderly conduct.
Both were taken to the Rockingham County jail and will be arraigned later Wednesday in 10th Circuit Court, Candia District Division.
- Man arrested as police investigate shots fired in Manchester - 0
- Alibaba Market robbed; scratch tickets taken from Crosstown Variety on Manchester's West Side - 0
- Hearing postponed for fire official facing harrassment charges in Londonderry - 0
- Nashua man accused of choking woman - 0
- Police say man stole lottery tickets from Manchester store - 0
- Free Keene founder gets community service sentence for fraud conviction - 10
- Fight leads to stabbing in Plymouth - 0
- College president, Gov. Hassan promise to punish those involved in Keene riots - 7
- Somersworth plaza evacuated after phoned threat to blow up NH State Liquor Store - 0
Husband of Salem babysitter sentenced to additional time in second sex abuse caseREADER COMMENTS: 0
- Keene police working to identify rioters, notify other colleges of students' participation - 0
- Bedford woman injured when tree falls on her - 0
- High School Football Power Poll: Some shufflling below the top four - 0
- Nigeria declared Ebola-free by WHO after containing virus - 3
- UNH women's hockey coach hired to restore winning ways - 0
- Flash mob workshop will be a 'Thriller' - 0
- Former Royals slugger and current Giants scout Balboni's heart remains with San Francisco - 0
- Sam Asano's Let's Invent: The pesky problem of financing inventions - 0
- Your Turn, NH -- Kelley Tambouris: I am a Manchester teacher, and I need more support - 8
Murder-suicide ruled in Fremont deathsREADER COMMENTS: 0
Keene State College students clean up after mayhem, say weekend riots were not their fault
Keene Pumpkin Festival has uncertain future
Monitoring social media
On Obamacare: Shaheen doesn't get it
On Obamacare: Shaheen doesn't get it
What rising tide? Kuster vs. Kennedy
Keene police working to identify rioters, notify other colleges of students' participation
A series of sharp exchanges at 2nd CD debate
20141020-Concord Monitor: Taxpayers can afford $15K to $20K a year per homeless person for housing


text:
GreatSchools Rating
Teacher quality
Principal leadership
Parent involvement
I think to say the school is a joke is harsh. The reality of every thing is kids that are literate aren't part of the norm. The truth of the matter according to the US dept. of education only 87% of African American Children, 84% of Hispanic and 61% of white children are reading at their proper level. The truth now is a child that can read is rare. Whose fault everyone's. We ( the Parents) are the first teachers of our children. Either we accept the role of continue to blame people. I am sick and tired of people blaming the school. I must take respectability when my child does the wrong thing as much as I willing to when he does the right thing. There is no easy way!
I am currently a student at I.B. Tigrett Middle School. I love all of my classes except one with mostly boys! They play too much. I would recommend Tigrett over any other middle school in Jackson! Tigrett Tops!
Tigrett is a wonderful school with one focus, and that is to better the students school academically, socially, and emotionally. The principal is present in students' lives as a model of appropriate behavior and intellect. I have been pleased with the respect that she has for parent concern and for honest, fair response to those concerns. No school is perfect, and when we teach those from various levels of social, financial, and educational means, it takes special people to make 'good things' happen. 'Good things' are happening at Tigrett. The needs of every child are, at the very least, being addressed. The hope is that every child will be motivated to make choices that will be beneficial to their future growth. Tigrett faculty, for the greatest part, makes every effort to instill that desire. I have been pleased with our Tigrett experience.
I think that Tigrett is the best middle school in the Jackson-Madison County School System. This schools offers many great things that students all over the world would love to be involved in. Like the AVID program for, for instance.
This school is a joke just like all the other schools in Madison Co. No teaching goes on and the students are just herded around. Kids that are literate are put in 'honors' classes and everyone else are put in regular classes and passed the next year just to make the school look good. Teachers are only concerned with pay and when they can leave school.
Community ratings and reviews do not represent the views of GreatSchools nor does GreatSchools check their accuracy or verify the reviewers' identities. Use your discretion when evaluating these reviews.
The Community Rating is the school's average rating from its community members (e.g., parents, students, and school staff). The highest possible rating is five stars; the lowest is one star.
716 Westwood Av
Jackson, TN 38301
Phone: (731) 988-3840
To start a new list, click OK. Otherwise click Cancel.
Thank you! You will begin to receive newsletters from us shortly.
Great work! Only one more step. Now we just need you to verify your email address. Please click on the link in the email we just sent you to complete your registration.
Great work! Only one more step. Now we just need you to verify your email address. Please click on the link in the email we just sent you to submit your review.
Please click on the link in the verification email we just sent you to complete your change of email address.
Whoops! It looks like we still need to verify your email. To do so, please click on the link in the email we sent you. Can't find the e-mail? Click the button below and we'll send you a new one.
Thanks for registering. Welcome to GreatSchools, the largest online community committed to improving educational outcomes through parental involvement.
Thanks for verifying your updated email address.
Oops! You haven't verified your email address yet. To do so, please click on the link in the email we sent you. Can't find the email? Click the button below to receive a new one.
Oops! That email verification link has expired. Please click the button below to receive a new one.
Create an account to submit your answers.
Sign in with an existing GreatSchools account or using Facebook:
Your review has been posted to GreatSchools.
Share with friends! Post your opinion of I B Tigrett Middle School on Facebook.
Welcome to GreatSchools!
For principals and school officials, we offer a special Enhanced School Profile (ESP) which allows you to update and add information about your school, as well as respond to reviews. If you are a school official, click Continue to start.
Please note that it can take up to 48 hours for your comment to be posted to our site. While you're here, we'd like to invite you to fill out a survey on your school's programs, activities, and extracurriculars. It only takes a few minutes and will help parents get a full picture of your school.
Continue to compare the schools you have already selected or Edit schools to change your selection.
Get started now! You have successfully registered and can now start updating your Official School Profile. The information you provide is extremely valuable in helping parents and students learn more about your school, so thanks for taking the time!
Thank you for registering as a school leader. We just need to verify your email address. We've sent you an email - please click on the link in that message to get started editing your school's information!
Thanks! We just sent you an email – please click on the link in the email to post your answers.
Get timely updates for I B Tigrett Middle School, including performance data and recently posted user reviews.


text:
Great music is a hallmark of the city of Seattle, making it the perfect home for the Dodge Rock 'n' Roll Seattle Marathon & ½ Marathon benefiting the American Cancer Society. On Saturday, June 25th, 28,000 runners will celebrate a 26.2 or 13.1 milestone by rocking out to the familiar songs of Everclear, who will headline the post-race concert.Read Full Story
There's nothing quite like miles of live, outdoor concerts to make it feel like summer. The Seafair summer of events kicks off Saturday, June 25th with the Dodge Rock 'n' Roll Seattle Marathon & ½ Marathon benefiting the American Cancer Society, featuring more than 40 local bands along the 26.2 and 13.1 mile course.Read Full Story
Half Marathon Start Time: 7:30am
Marathon Start Time: 7:30am
Event Details | Course Information
CenturyLink Field Event Center
Thursday, June 11, 12pm-7pm
Friday, June 12, 10am-7pm
Map | Exhibitor Info | Spectator Info


text:
As a follow up to my post earlier this week about how emotional involvement in a brand drives brand loyalty, today I will provide three steps to generate emotional involvement in your brand. I call these three steps the 3 S's of Customer Loyalty. It's a concept I first introduced in my book that was just released in the U.K. (coming to the U.S. in August), Harry Potter: The Story of a Global Business Phenomenon. By ensuring your brand offers customers the 3 S's of customer loyalty, customers will become emotionally involved in your brand. Let's take a closer look.
The 3 S's of Customer Loyalty:
- Stability: Customers are driven to emotional involvement in a brand when it sends a consistent message.
- Sustainability: Customers are driven to emotional involvement in a brand when they expect that brand to be with them for a long time or at least a specific amount of time with a clear end.
- Security: Customers are driven to emotional involvement in a brand when that brand gives them a feeling of comfort or peace-of-mind.
The 3 S's of Customer Loyalty link directly back to the three main steps to developing a brand – consistency, persistence and patience as well as the need to meet customer expectations for your brand. So while many people might argue that branding is not important, I argue that branding is an important part of driving profits. Branding helps to create customer loyalty which leads to repeat purchases and perhaps the best form of marketing any company can hope for – word-of-mouth marketing from your best customers.
Take a look at your brand. Is it driving emotional involvement through stability, sustainability and security? If not, make the necessary changes now, and you'll reap the rewards later with increased customer loyalty.
Susan Gunelius
Latest posts by Susan Gunelius (see all)
- Agile Executives Drive 25% Higher Profit Margins – Is Your CMO Agile? - October 31, 2014
- Email Marketing Open Rates are on the Rise - October 29, 2014
- Good News for Mobile Advertising in Apps - October 25, 2014
- Which Brands Are Connecting with Millennials on Social Media? - October 24, 2014
- The Marketing Technology, Data, Strategy and Results Gap - October 22, 2014


text:
This year, Notre Dame's Football team will be one of the youngest that Brian Kelly has ever had at Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish are making slight adjustments on Offense and Defense. The Defense will likely operate with three Cornerbacks most of the time. Here are Notre Dame's players ranked 1-22, continuing with #8
Nick Martin – Senior – Center
There have been numerous pairs of brothers that have played together in sports, but the Martin brothers might go down as one of the best. Nick Martin, younger brother of Zack Martin, is the leader of the offensive line this year much like his brother was his senior year. Younger brother Nick originally committed to the University of Kentucky only to flip his commitment to Notre Dame for the chance to play with his brother. Soaking up everything his brother taught him, Nick has taken the baton from Zack and did not fumble the exchange.
In 2013, Nick Martin started the first 11 games of the season only to be lost to a knee injury during the BYU game. Until that injury Martin played like a seasoned vet and helped solidify the middle of the O-line. After nine months of recovery Martin is getting back in the saddle and knocking what little rust has formed during his time away. Clearly destined to be named one of the captains of this Notre Dame squad once fall camp concludes. Not only will Martin anchor the line, but he will also act as the "quarterback" directing traffic and making sure proper assignments are being picked up.


text:
Featured Listings
Hudson Bay & High Lonesome Ranches – $5,750,000
Smithers - British Columbia, Canada Two scenic ranches totaling some 3,320 acres on 20 titles, bordering 3.5 miles of frontage on the famed … View Property
West Coast Fishing Club – $14,000,000
The renowned West Coast Fishing Club, in Haida Gwaii includes The Clubhouse, The Outpost, North Island Lodge, and the Industrial Hangar … View Property
Garden Bay Oceanfront Estate – Pender Harbour – $1,795,000
Overlooking the entrance to Pender Harbour this 4 bedroom architect designed west coast home has masterfully captured every aspect of the spectacular … View Property
Wild Rose Ranch – $5,900,000
Cascadia Pacific Realty is pleased to offer the historic and picturesque Wild Rose Ranch (Loon Lake) for sale. The ranch is an 875 head cow calf … View Property
News from Cascadia Pacific Realty
Historic Fraser River Ranch For Sale
100,000 acres of deeded, leased and grazing lands along the Fraser River north of Williams Lake represents a great opportunity to own one of the best managed cattle operation in BC. The … Read More...
Luxurious heli-ski facility in Cariboo for sale
Inspired by the Olympics to own part of BC skiing? Luxurious heli-ski facility in Cariboo for sale. Potential for year-round use as a premium eco-adventure lodge February 25, 2010 - West … Read More...
European buyer of historic Chilcotin ranch blown away by BC's beauty and value
(November 26, 2009 – West Vancouver) The European investor who recently purchased the historic Chezacut Ranch in British Columbia's Chilcotin region plans to keep the ranch running to … Read More...


text:
Avani Avittom, a day in the Tamil month of Avani that marks a new beginning, was observed by the members of the Brahmin community here with rituals that largely symbolise retrospection and penitence.
More than 300 members of the community took part in the ceremony held at the Anandawalleshwaram temple pond.
Avittom is one of the 27 nakshatras or stars falling on the full moon day of the Avani month.
It is on this day that male members of the community change the poonul (sacred thread) worn by them and this ritual, also known as upakarmam, takes place on the banks of a pond or a river. They take a dip in the river or pond and then wear a new poonul.
The members of the Brahmin community also offer libations of water to their ancestors to whom they owe their birth and to the great Rishis to whom they are indebted for spiritual knowledge and the Vedas.
Pledge renewed
They also renew their pledge to uphold their Vedic duties to the society.
Devotees believe that it is on this day that Lord Hayagriva, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, brought back the Vedas that were stolen by the demons. The ritual also symbolises the permission to study the Vedas.
The Rig Veda upakarmam ritual observed in connection with the ceremony on Tuesday was led by Brahma Sri Gomati Sankarana Narayana Sasthrikal and the Yajur Veda upakarmam ritual led by Brahma Sri Narayana Sasthrikal and Bhaskara Vaidyar.
On Wednesday, the Gayatri Japam ritual will be observed. This ritual is held at homes of Brahmins.


text:
Tagged Questions
312 views
Is it possible to disable or hide the digital zoom controls in the Camera app on iPhone?
I don't think I have ever used the digital zoom feature in the Camera app. The controls are just in the way when you wan't to focus something in that part of the image. So, if possible, I want to hide ...
274 views
HDR photos on iPhone 3GS with iOS4.1
I've just installed iOS 4.1 on my iPhone 3GS, and want to try the new HDR feature in the Camera App... But it doesn't seem to be available. Is it possible to use it in the 3GS? Do I need to do ...


text:
Save up to 80% off list price.
Why pay campus bookstore
prices? Shop our huge
selection of new, used and
International edition textbooks.
Save up to 90% versus buying
new. We've got thousands of
textbooks in stock and ready
to rent. Fast, easy & cheap.
Plus get FREE returns when
school's out!
Enter your e-mail address
your shopping cart
order status
wish list
book fetch
order history
log in
our money-back guarantee
getting started
create an account
shipping FAQs
Cover may not depict edition offered for sale
Tom Rath
About this title: DO YOU DO WHAT YOU DO BEST EVERY DAY? Chances are, you don't. From the cradle to the cubicle, we devote more time to fixing our shortcomings than to developing our strengths. To help people uncover their talents, Gallup introduced StrengthsFinder in the 2001 management book "Now, Discover Your Strengths." The book ignited a global conversation, while StrengthsFinder helped millions discover their top five talents. In "StrengthsFinder 2.0, " Gallup unveils the new and improved version of its popular online assessment. With hundreds of strategies for applying your strengths, "StrengthsFinder 2.0" will change the way you look at yourself--and the world--forever. AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY IN "STRENGTHSFINDER 2.0 "(using the access code included with each book) - "The StrengthsFinder 2.0" assessment, fine-tuned to be faster and more accurate - A Strengths Discovery and Action-Planning Guide featuring: A customized version of your top five theme report; 50 Ideas for Action for building on your top five themes; A strengths-based action plan for setting goals - And much more on the "StrengthsFinder 2.0" website: A strengths community area; Resources, activities, and discussion guides; A strengths screensaver and program for creating display cards of your top five themes
Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
Your search: Home » Books » Strengths Finder 2.0: A New and Upgraded Edition of the Online Test from Gallup's Now, Discover Your Strengths (with Access Code)
(0 available copies)
Can't find it?
Let Book Fetch track it down for you. |
View search tips.
Find only books eligible for free shipping.
Group ISBNs below for a best-price bundle
Can't find it?
Let Book Fetch track it down for you. |
View search tips.
Susan Albers, Psyd
see all
Scholastic, Nick Farwell
Scholastic, Matthew Needler
Gillian Flynn
Simon & Garfunkel
Quick Help
Shipping Rates
Returns and Refunds
Secure Shopping
Contact Us
All Help Topics
About Us
The Alibris Story
Social Responsibility
Why Shop at Alibris?
Join our Affiliates
Your Account
Log In/Create Account
Order Status
Return Rental Book
Track Your Order
Rare and Collectible Books
Books with Free Shipping
New Book Releases and Authors
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited, Baker & Taylor, Inc., or by their respective licensors, or by the publishers, or by their respective licensors. For personal use only. All rights reserved. All rights in images of books or other publications are reserved by the original copyright holders.
Please enter a valid email address in the format firstname.lastname@example.com
Get $300 in coupons and other goodies.
Enter your e-mail address
Sign up for newsletter
No, thank you.
You're signed up (and we ♥ you). Watch for our Welcome e-mail and your first coupon. Thanks!


text:
After an opening piano motif in the style of Coldplay, the music progresses and culminates in a euphoric choral ending. This would suit a corporate video where inspiration and a feeling of development is needed to be conveyed.
Two versions are included. The main version (1:30 in length) and a slightly edited version (1:15 in length) which has a shorter piano introduction.


text:
The Turkish Government's Journey Down The Rabbit Hole
July 18, 2014 § 9 Comments
If Prime Minister Erdoğan is to be taken at his word, we can officially declare Israeli-Turkish rapprochement dead. Speaking this morning, Erdoğan announced that under no circumstances will Turkey's relationship with Israel improve as long as he is in power – which after the presidential elections next month, will be for a long time – and that the West can protest all it likes to no avail. Erdoğan also accused Israel of committing genocide and of knowing best how to kill children, which was a repeat performance from yesterday when he alleged that Israel has been committing systematic genocide against Palestinians during every Ramadan since 1948. This comes after more delightful outbursts earlier this week, during which Erdoğan claimed that there have been no rockets fired into Israel since there have been no Israeli deaths and compared Israeli MK Ayelet Shaked to Hitler, among other things.
Never one to be left out of the action, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu accused Israel of crimes against humanity and revealed that he has never taken Israel Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman seriously (although to be fair, that last point bolsters the case for Davutoğlu's good sense). Ankara's mayor Melih Gökçek, fresh off the heels of tweeting out pro-Hitler sentiments, urged his government yesterday to shut down the Israeli embassy in Ankara, referring to it as "the despicable murderers' consulate" and stating that "they are 100 times more murderous than Hitler." Not to be outdone, Bülent Yıldırım, the odious head of the "humanitarian relief NGO" IHH – the same NGO that organized the Mavi Marmara flotilla – warned Jewish tourists (yes, he said Jewish rather than Israeli, and yes, that was deliberate on his part) not to show their faces in Turkey and threatened Turkish Jews that they would pay dearly for Israel's actions in Gaza.
While Yıldırım may have come to the conclusion of collective Jewish guilt on his own, he also could have been influenced by Yeni Akit reporter Faruk Köse. Köse wrote an open letter in his newspaper on Tuesday to the chief rabbi of Turkey in which the phrase "Siyonist/Yahudi Terör Üssü" – which translates to Zionist/Jewish terror base and is his oh-so-clever term for Israel – appeared seven times while he demanded that the rabbi and his flock apologize for Gaza because Turkey's Jews have lived among Turks for 500 years and gotten rich off them and now support the terrorist Israeli state. Or perhaps Yıldırım is a dedicated reader of Daily Sabah, the English language AKP propaganda organ where Melih Altınok argued yesterday that not only Turkish Jews but Jews everywhere need to, in his words, "make a historic gesture" and denounce Israel publicly. According to his logic, Israel's actions are solely responsible for increasing anti-Semitism in the world, and "hence, nationalist Jews as well as the humanist and anti-war Jews have to calculate the situation" and do what is necessary in order to stem the inevitable backlash against them. Lovely, no?
What a surprise and shock it must have been then when last night, mobs that included MPs from the AKP attacked the Israeli embassy in Ankara and consulate in Istanbul, leading Israel to reduce its diplomatic staff in the country and to send the families of diplomatic staff home. The police in Ankara, who are never hesitant to break out the tear gas, truncheons, and water cannons against Turkish civilians protesting things like government corruption, were mysteriously somehow powerless this time as they stood on the sidelines and watched. Of course, there can't possibly be a connection between the rhetoric of high government officials lambasting Israel as a genocidal terror state and mobs attacking Israel's diplomatic missions and chanting for murder, right? This is clearly all a misunderstanding and emanates not from Erdoğan using ugly and hateful tactics to improve his political standing but completely and entirely from Israel's actions. Now please excuse me while I go wash off the sarcasm dripping from my keyboard.
I understand why Turks are upset about the images and news reports coming out of Gaza. Just as Diaspora Jews feel a deep sense of kinship and brotherhood with their Jewish brethren in Israel, there is a genuine sense of pan-Muslim solidarity between Turks and Palestinians. While I believe that Israel tries in good faith to minimize civilian casualties, not only do mistakes happen but sometimes Israel makes intentional decisions – like every other country in the history of the world that has ever fought a war – that it knows will lead to civilian deaths. I get the anger and frustration, and I see it personally from Turkish friends on my Facebook feed and my Twitter stream, who are furious with Israel not because they are Jew-hating anti-Semites but because they deplore the mounting civilian death toll in Gaza, which they see as disproportionate and excessive. And it isn't just the AKP; anger at Israel is widespread among all segments of the population, as evidenced by the multiple leftist Gaza solidarity rallies taking place in Turkey today and by joint CHP/MHP presidential candidate Ekmeleddin Ihsanoğlu bashing Israel's actions in Gaza and the CHP generally trying to score points over the last few days by absurdly trying to paint the AKP as in bed with Israel and complicit with its actions. Israel isn't exactly popular in Turkey, to make the understatement of the decade, and to expect Turkish politicians to hold their tongues completely or to support Israel's actions in Gaza is unreasonably naive.
But there is a world of difference between criticizing Israel out of a deeply held difference of opinion versus comparing Israelis to Hitler, equating Israel with Nazi Germany, throwing around the term genocide, openly advocating violence against Israeli nationals and property, and threatening Jews over Israel's behavior. It is completely beyond the pale, and anyone who cares a lick about liberal values should be denouncing it loud and clear without qualification. Erdoğan is appealing to the darkest forces imaginable in order to win a presidential election and bolster his laughably pathetic standing in the Arab world, and let's not forget that he said straight out today that he will never normalize or even improve relations with Israel while he is in office. He has dropped the charade that this has anything to do with the Mavi Marmara or even a set of fulfillable demands that Israel is not meeting, so let's all remember that the next time someone blames Israel for the impasse in the bilateral relationship. Erdoğan is anti-Israel because he does not like Israel, full stop. If Israel withdrew its forces from Gaza, stopped responding to Hamas rockets with missiles, ended the blockade, and awarded Khaled Meshaal the Israel Prize, Erdoğan and Davutoğlu would just find some other reason not to normalize relations. Yes, the situation in Gaza undoubtedly plays a big role in all of this – just look at Israeli-Turkish relations under the Erdoğan government between 2002 and 2008, which were cordial and cooperative – but it's about more than that at this point. Erdoğan and the AKP have gone too far down the garden path of anti-Israel rhetoric at this point to ever turn back.
What Is Bogie Ya'alon Up To?
March 19, 2014 § 3 Comments
Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon gave a speech yesterday at Tel Aviv University during which he said some things that have got the White House pretty annoyed. Ya'alon inferred that President Obama wants to play out the clock and punt dealing with the Iranian nuclear issue to the next president, fingered the U.S. for demonstrating weakness in a variety of areas including in its response to the Crimean crisis, pointed out that U.S. military aid to Israel is not entirely altruistic but operates to American benefit as well in the areas of intelligence and technology, and finally predicted that U.S. weakness will come back to haunt it in the form of terrorism and direct challenges from revisionist powers. All in all, it was quite the rhetorical broadside. I will refrain from extensively commenting on Ya'alon's last point except to note that by the standards of many of Ya'alon's ideological compatriots and Likud fellow travelers who excoriated John Kerry when he predicted that the failure of the peace process will lead to greater international isolation of Israel and accused him of advocating for Israel to be treated as a pariah, Ya'alon has now done something far more serious than offer a prediction that the U.S. will suffer future attacks.
In response, an unnamed senior Obama administration official hit back at Ya'alon for undermining security ties between the U.S. and Israel and calling the entire relationship into question. To quote, "We were shocked by Moshe Ya'alon's comments, which seriously call into question his commitment to Israel's relationship with the United States. Moreover, this is part of a disturbing pattern in which the defense minister disparages the U.S. administration, and insults its most senior officials. Given the unprecedented commitment that this administration has made to Israel's security, we are mystified why the defense minister seems intent on undermining the relationship." This is not the first time this year that the White House has responded to comments from Ya'alon that it deemed to be over the line, as in January it was leaked that Ya'alon had disparaged John Kerry, which drew a disappointed, albeit less harsh, American response.
What is driving Ya'alon here? Ultimately, causing a rift with the U.S. is not going to benefit Israel in any way, and Ya'alon is presumably smart enough to know that trying to rhetorically peer pressure the U.S. into taking a more confrontational approach with Iran is not going to work. Furthermore, Ya'alon knows from intimate firsthand experience, first as IDF chief of staff and now as defense minister, just how close security cooperation between the two countries is, and so pretending that it's not such a big deal rings hollow. In addition, the timing of going after Obama personally just as the U.S. is actively involved in Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and figuring out the security parameters of a longterm presence for IDF troops in the Jordan Valley is an awful strategy. If Ya'alon wants to ensure that the White House becomes more sympathetic to Palestinians complaints about Israeli intransigence, this would be one good way to go about it.
Certainly some of Ya'alon's frustration is real. It is no secret that Israeli officials are worried about the direction of events in the Middle East, particularly with regard to Iran, and fear the U.S. stepping back from the region. What looks like cautious realism in the West Wing is viewed by Israelis as weak-kneed appeasement and wavering, whether it be negotiations with Tehran, an unwillingness to intervene in Syria despite repeated threats to do so, not bolstering Hosni Mubarak or dealing more harshly with the Muslim Brotherhood, etc. In addition, as Jonathan Schanzer points out, Ya'alon is upset about the U.S. not giving Israel weapons systems that would help in an Iran strike. Perhaps all of this boiled over at once and Ya'alon just couldn't contain himself.
Or, perhaps there is more at work here, and Ya'alon's outburst was a bit more politically strategic. Bibi Netanyahu has long had a real problem within his own party, and it is only compounded by the current peace negotiations. The younger and more hardline Likud members don't trust him, and they have sought to embarrass him countless times, whether it be at Likud conventions, Likud primaries, or looking to amend the party's constitution. Some of these efforts have been more successful than others, but if Netanyahu makes any real concessions with regard to the West Bank, the party is fated to split apart and there are no two ways about it. All of that is assuming that Netanyahu does not do the deed himself at some point and go the route of Arik Sharon, forming a new party and leaving a rump Likud behind (which would be deeply ironic since Netanyahu was the one who took the helm of the badly weakened Likud when Sharon formed Kadima). Ya'alon has been doing a good job of courting the Danny Danons, Yariv Levins, and Miri Regevs of the world, and they trust him a lot more than they trust the prime minister. Should it come down to needing a replacement for Netanyahu, Ya'alon seems like an obvious choice, and he can keep it that way by consistently espousing hawkish views such as the ones he did yesterday.
On top of this, the mood among Israel's rightwing is no longer as uniformly pro-U.S. as it has been. There is a deep distrust of the Obama administration of course, but also a sense that the U.S. is moving in a very different direction than Israel. Netanyahu and his circle were genuinely surprised by the outcome of the 2012 presidential election, and simply did not grasp the internal American political dynamics, the changing demographics, or the war weariness of the American public. Throw on top of this the pressure coming from the White House on the peace process, and it just compounds the notion for some that the U.S. is harming more than it is helping. Many Israelis are for the first time in awhile openly questioning whether the U.S. can be reliably counted on, and nowhere is this more prevalent than among the younger Likud ideological vanguard who are the party's future. Ya'alon recognizes this, and has been subtly playing into it for some time, which is why I think his comments about Kerry in January and his speech yesterday were more coldly calculating than he may want to let on. The other component to this is that Avigdor Lieberman, who wants to be prime minister one day and can only do so through Likud and is thus engaging in some jockeying for position of his own, has been criticizing the anti-American tone since his acquittal of fraud charges and his return to politics and publicly reminding Israelis that they should be wary of ruining the relationship with Washington. To the extent that Ya'alon views Lieberman – a hawkish nationalist who is very at home among the younger Likud folks – as a potential future rival, setting himself apart from Lieberman in a way that the Likud base favors is only smart politics.
At first glance, Ya'alon's comments certainly seem puzzling, and they will not do any good for Israel itself. The question is whether Ya'alon was directing them toward Israel's future or his own, and as usual, I think there is a heavy dose of internal domestic politics that is being overlooked. Yes, the frustration is real and is not entirely manufactured, but there is a method to the madness inasmuch as Ya'alon is thinking instrumentally about his political prospects down the line.
Optimism and Pessimism On The New Round Of Peace Talks
July 25, 2013 § 13 Comments
Now that reports are surfacing that negotiations between the Israelis and the Palestinians are scheduled to begin in Washington on Tuesday – although there are also conflicting reports that Saeb Erekat is going to stay home until the Israelis agree to use the 1967 lines as the basis for negotiations over the final border – it seems like a good time to lay out some reasons for optimism and reasons for pessimism about whether these talks are fated to go anywhere. Since I am generally pretty cynical about such things, let's start with the reasons why I think the talks may fail. One of the biggest obstacles is the domestic politics involved. Brent Sasley has written a thorough piece arguing that the politics right now on the Israeli side are actually favorable for meaningful negotiations and concessions, but I tend to see things differently. Prime Minister Netanyahu has not shown the willingness in the past to actually deal with the hard choices involved in coming to an agreement, and while that does not mean that he is incapable of doing so, nothing in his past indicates that he is an enthusiastic peace process negotiator. If he is being dragged to the negotiating table unwillingly through a combination of pressure and quid pro quo for past U.S. security assistance, it is not going to bode well for the final outcome. Even if he is doing it of his own volition, which is certainly in the realm of possibility, the fact that he seems unwilling to accede to measures such as relinquishing sovereignty over parts of Jerusalem – which is going to have to be in any deal that the Palestinians will accept – is a bad omen. Then there is the problem of Netanyahu's party. The current iteration of the Likud is the most right wing in its history, and a large bloc, if not an outright majority of the party, does not trust Netanyahu and is adamantly opposed to negotiations. In fact, an increasingly large subset of Likud members, led by Danny Danon, have been openly calling for Israel to annex the West Bank and ditch the two state solution in favor of the rightwing version of a one state solution. It is also the case that the more radical Likud members now control the party's policy apparatus and serve as deputy ministers in the government; in fact, it seems as if Netanyahu is refuting the latest nonsense from Deputy Defense Minister Danon every other week. Sasley argues that this cast of characters is aware that they cannot win without Netanyahu and will ultimately fall in line, but I am not nearly so certain. Plenty of Likud voters will vote for the party if, say, Bogie Ya'alon is the headliner, and I don't think that the Likud ministers and back benchers are going to sit idly by if Netanyahu begins to give up territory in the West Bank or order the evacuation of settlements. They have staked their political reputations almost entirely on rejectionism of the two state solution, and just because Netanyahu asks them nicely does not mean that they would not rather have a smaller but purer version of the Likud. See the experience that John Boehner has had with his own unruly caucus of House Republican newcomers as a parallel to how this would play out. Furthermore, Netanyahu is being kept afloat by his temporary merger with Yisrael Beiteinu, which he wants to turn into a permanent one. Without the extra YB votes, Likud immediately loses 10-12 seats in the Knesset. The problem is that Avigdor Lieberman is in many ways the original rightwing one stater, and there is simply no way in which he agrees to keep the two parties together once settlements are given up. Netanyahu knows this, which provides another incentive to make sure that talks break down along their usual pattern. The same problem exists with coalition partner Habayit Hayehudi, which has repeatedly threatened to leave the government over the issue of freezing settlements and whose head, Naftali Bennett, is also an advocate of annexation. Sasley argues that pulling out of the coalition will risk breaking the party apart, leaving Bennett politically homeless, and so he can't risk it. I think the much bigger risk to Bennett is the party folding or excommunicating him for selling out his core principles if he agrees to remain in a government that agrees to extricate itself from the West Bank. After all, the party's very name – Jewish Home in English – is meant to refer to the entirely of the Land of Israel from the river to the sea and explicitly lay claim to all of the territory as part of the Jewish state. The idea that the greater risk in this lies in leaving the government seems to gloss over the very reason the party exists, its history, and its makeup. There is also the issue of a referendum, which Netanyahu has now promised to hold to approve any peace agreement that is struck with the Palestinians. While the latest poll in Ha'aretz indicates that 55% of Israelis would approve a peace agreement, that is in a generic sense. Once the details are factored in and various political parties and lobbying groups begin to play on Israeli fears about security, sovereignty over Jerusalem and the Temple Mount, the Jewish character of the state, etc. it will be very easy to siphon off entire groups of voters through scare tactics and populist campaigns. That 55% number is a mirage, akin to the way in which Yair Lapid supports a two state solution but is adamantly opposed to any division of Jerusalem; lots of people support a peace deal in theory, but the devil is in the details. Bennett knows this, which is why Habayit Hayehudi has pushed to extend the Basic Law that requires a referendum to approve giving up land that Israel has annexed – East Jerusalem and the Golan – to include the West Bank as well. The hope on the right is that a referendum will doom any successful negotiations for good. Finally, there is the Palestinian side. There is no need to rehash here all of the various arguments over Mahmoud Abbas and whether he rejected Ehud Olmert's offer of 99% of the West Bank or whether he simply did not respond because Olmert was a lame duck and out of office before he even had a chance. My own opinion is that the truth lies somewhere in the middle, but I am not as convinced as others on the left that Abbas is a willing a peace negotiator. The insistence on preconditions to negotiating is a tactic designed to doom talks, and the fact that Abbas was not willing to jump on Netanyahu's partial 10 month building freeze a couple of years ago as the excuse he needed to reenter talks does not bolster the case of those who want to pin all of the blame on the Israeli side. Abbas may indeed want to talk, but I do not think it is fair to portray him as champing at the bit to get started. On the flip side, there are reasons to be optimistic. While, as I noted above, Netanyahu has not shown a propensity in the past to reach an agreement that the Palestinians can reasonably accept, he certainly appears to have arrived at the realization that Israel's international standing is becoming more precarious by the day. The EU guidelines on settlements last week seem to have been a wakeup call of sorts, and his now repeated public warnings that Israel is facing a real prospect of a binational state indicate that his attitude in 2013 is very different than it was during his tenure as prime minister in the mid-90s or during the beginning of his current stint in 2009. In addition, as Dahlia Scheindlin has pointed out, polls consistently and repeatedly show support for a two state solution, 83 out of 120 seats in the current Knesset are controlled by parties theoretically supporting two states, and the support for two states remains even when you add various line items about specific concessions into the polling questions. In this light, the referendum may turn out to be a very good thing, since it will reinforce the move toward a negotiated solution. It is also encouraging that Netanyahu is seeking political cover to do what needs to be done, since if he negotiates a deal that is then approved by the Israeli electorate, it will be difficult for the right to claim that he has overstepped his authority. Finally, there is the fact that the best way for negotiations to succeed is if the specific details are kept under wraps, and any concessions made by either side are not wielded by opponents of two states as populist cudgels designed to doom the talks. John Kerry has done a good job of this by not publicly outlining the conditions that each side have agreed to in order for talks to resume, but even more encouragingly so has Netanyahu. There is currently a purposeful cloud of ambiguity hovering over the question of whether Israel has frozen settlement construction or not, with Netanyahu denying such a freeze exists and Housing Minister Uri Ariel saying that the de facto and unannounced policy in place is not allowing for any new construction. This, more than anything, is the most hopeful sign of all, since if Netanyahu has actually frozen settlement construction while trying to trick his party and coalition into thinking that he has done no such thing, it is a more serious indication of his desire to really strike a deal than any other datapoint I have seen. P.S. To watch me talk about this more extensively, here is a link to a video of a roundtable hosted by David Halperin and the Israel Policy Forum that I did yesterday with Hussein Ibish and Dahlia Scheindlin. It's long, but an interesting and thorough discussion of the various issues involved.
Exit Michael Oren, Enter Ron Dermer
July 12, 2013 § Leave a comment
On Tuesday, Bibi Netanyahu announced that his top aide, Ron Dermer, will be replacing Michael Oren as Israeli ambassador to the U.S. in the fall. Oren has to my mind been an excellent ambassador, and I'm not just saying that because he is a friend and former professor. He has served during a uniquely difficult time for Israel, and Dermer has a tough job ahead of him. Despite Dermer's reputation for being on the far right of Israeli politics, I actually think he may be able to shunt aside some of the distrust he has built up in the administration and be successful. I wrote about Oren's legacy and Dermer's prospect for Foreign Policy yesterday:
There's a new big macher in town. On Tuesday, July 9, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu officially named Ron Dermer to be his next ambassador to Washington, formally bringing current ambassador Michael Oren's four-year tenure to an end in the fall. In replacing Oren with Dermer (full disclosure: Oren was my professor in graduate school at Harvard University, and we have maintained a good relationship), Netanyahu is replacing one American-turned-Israeli with another, but that is where the similarities end. Dermer will have big shoes to fill, as Oren has done an admirable job as Israel's ambassador to the United States during a time that has been fraught with potential peril for the special relationship between the two countries. Although Dermer will have some advantages that Oren did not, he also has a history of his own that must be overcome.
While Israeli envoys have traditionally reported to the Foreign Ministry, Oren has been in the unique position of bypassing traditional channels and reporting directly to Netanyahu. This is because Oren didn't come from within the ranks of the Foreign Ministry and so wasn't in any way beholden to former Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman. But it's also an indication of how far the Foreign Ministry has fallen out of favor under Netanyahu's purview. Netanyahu has sidelined the Foreign Ministry and has run Israeli foreign policy directly out of his office, using personal aides for important diplomatic tasks. While some analysts, such as Aaron David Miller, claim that Oren is outside Netanyahu's inner circle and thus has had a diminished role, there is no doubt that the outgoing ambassador has played a crucial role in serving as a critical communicator between U.S. President Barack Obama and Netanyahu.
One need only look at the results of the past four years to see how well Oren has comported himself in his position. During Obama's and Netanyahu's respective first terms, all manner of analysts were predicting an Israeli strike on Iran and a policy of unfettered settlement building, both of which were going to lead to terrible clashes between Washington and Jerusalem. Indeed, when U.S. Vice President Joe Biden was embarrassed during a trip to Israel by a surprise announcement of new building in East Jerusalem, the immediate fallout was swift. Yet the fears over Iran and exploding settlement growth were never realized, and the actual working relationship between the United States and Israel is as strong as it has ever been in terms of security cooperation and coordination. One has to assume that Oren has played a key role in all this by communicating to the Israeli government the mood in Washington and the dangers inherent in moving unilaterally against Iran or sabotaging the peace process.
One of the Israeli ambassador's primary tasks is making sure that the relationship between Washington and Jerusalem is as smooth as possible, and not only is the institutional relationship humming along, but the personal relationship between Obama and Netanyahu has immeasurably improved over time. During Obama's first term, low points included Netanyahu publicly lecturing the U.S. president while the cameras were rolling during Netanyahu's visit to the White House in May 2011, and Obama later returning the favor by denigrating Netanyahu over an open microphone while talking privately to then French President Nicolas Sarkozy. In contrast, during Obama's trip to Israel this past March, the two men joked with each other, smiled, and seemed far more comfortable than they ever had before. Although the credit for this cannot be laid entirely at Oren's feet, one should not overlook his part in it either after four years of his public insistence that Obama and Netanyahu have a solid working relationship.
To read the rest of my thoughts on Oren, including the biggest way in which he has been successful, and why I think that Dermer has disadvantages that must be overcome but also advantages that Oren did not have, please click over to Foreign Policy.
Israel's Russian Roulette
May 30, 2013 § Leave a comment
A year ago I wrote about the way in which Israeli domestic politics was coloring its foreign policy toward Russia on account of Israel's large Russian population – over 1 million immigrants from the former Soviet Union now live in Israel, making up somewhere between 10-15% of the total population – and noted that the government was doing its best to cozy up to Putin on account of the domestic political benefits despite the fact that there were obvious foreign policy pitfalls for Israel in pursuing such a strategy. In light of the violence in Syria, it is time to revisit this issue. The topic has taken on greater urgency now that Bashar al-Assad has claimed that Russia has already sent a shipment of S-300 surface-to-air missile batteries to Syria. Earlier this week, Defense Minister Bogie Ya'alon had warned Russia not to arm the Assad regime with these missiles, considered to be a significant upgrade to existing Syrian air defense capabilities, and said that if the shipment of weapons left for Syria, Israel would "know how to act." While Russia had postponed the initial shipment of missiles at Israel's request, all signs point to further Israeli requests to delay delivering the SAM batteries being likely to fall on deaf ears. Russia's interest in propping up the Assad regime has only grown, and the increasing calls for Western intervention and hints of U.S. plans for a no-fly zone in Syria have only seemed to strengthen Russian resolve as it turns the fight in Syria into a proxy battle against the West.
As Jordan Hirsch and Sam Kleiner smartly argued a couple of weeks ago, the chaos in Syria is in some ways restoring a Cold War dynamic between the U.S. and Israel that is focused on Israel as a proxy and strategic ally against a larger adversary, which in this case is Iran. However, the past couple of weeks have added a twist to this observation, which is that in some ways we are actually returning to the original Cold War dynamic of the U.S. against Russia and Israel caught in the middle. While the relationship between Israel and Russia has been strong, full of state visits and Israeli officials fawning over their Russian counterparts, the situation in Syria has put the brakes on what was in many ways a friendship built on a mirage. Israeli politicians have wanted to reap the low-hanging political fruit of being seen as having close ties with Russia, but Russia never gave Israel any indication of being willing to budge on its support for Iran or its backing of Assad. In fact, fostering a close relationship with Russia might have actually backfired, as when Israel hit Syrian military sites in Damascus earlier in May, it infuriated the Russian government, which was taken by surprise by the Israeli raid. Close ties between Jerusalem and Moscow may have created an expectation in Russia's mind of notification by Israel, or perhaps some level of leeway on Russian priorities that Israel is unwilling to give.
The entire situation demonstrates the strategic quandary in which Israel finds itself due to its relatively small stature. Israel is not enough of a heavyweight to do much of anything to change the direction of Russian foreign policy, and its threats are not credible when dealing with a country the size and strength of Russia. Israel has spent years cultivating Putin and other Russian leaders, and Avigdor Lieberman played up his Russian connection while serving as foreign minister to an unprecedented degree, but when push comes to shove, all of this falls by the wayside in the face of larger Russian geostrategic priorities. Keeping Assad as an ally and maintaining the Russian naval base in Tartus, and in the big picture frustrating Western efforts to get Assad to exit power, is just worth much more to Moscow than anything Israel can offer and any benefits that accrue to Russia as a result of closer ties with Israel. Furthermore, Russia even has good cause to start intimidating Israel if it believes that Israeli natural gas exports – if they ever happen, which is a big if – might in any way cut into Russian market share in Europe. Israel just does not measure up when it comes to ordering Russian priorities, and Israel is learning this the hard way in the context of the Syrian morass.
There is another element at play here, which is how Israeli domestic politics require Israel to tread carefully in its dealings with Russia. As I noted a year ago, the Russian population in Israel feels a strong pull and sense of nostalgia toward its previous home even as its connection there wanes, much like American Jews feel strongly about Israel and Irish-Americans feel strongly about Ireland. Were the U.S. ever to have tense relations with Ireland, it would actually raise a serious problem in Congress and make for an extremely tricky political environment. Domestic politics affects every move the Israeli government makes, and if the connection between the large population of Russian origin and Israel's foreign policy maneuvering has not already been taken into account by the more insightful politicians, I'd be surprised. Note that Israel has not yet directly threatened Russia, but has instead made veiled threats toward Syria on the issue of missile shipments, which is a counterintuitive move when you consider the supply chain here and that the party that needs to be prevented from moving is Moscow rather than Damascus. Part of that is, as I noted above, that Israel just does not have the heft to make any credible threats against Russia, but I think part of it is also the domestic political angle of trying not to pick a public fight with the Russian government any more than is absolutely necessary. Whatever the outcomes of the spat over the S-300 missile batteries, it will be very difficult going forward for Israel to pretend that its relationship with Russia is as cozy as it has portrayed in the past.
Bibi's Coalition Gamble
February 20, 2013 § 6 Comments
It has been almost a month since the Israeli election, and yesterday finally brought us the first move to form a coalition as Tzipi Livni's Hatnua party agreed to join up with Bibi Netanyahu and Likud Beiteinu. I have been skeptical throughout the campaign and the election's aftermath that Livni would come to an agreement with Netanyahu given her efforts to convince Ehud Olmert and even Shimon Peres to run; her failed maneuvering at uniting Hatnua, Labor, and Yesh Atid into an anti-Bibi bloc; her constant railing against Netanyahu as a danger and a failed prime minister; the fact that Hatnua includes former Labor leaders Amir Peretz and Amram Mitzna, neither of whom are exactly Netanyahu cheerleaders; and finally, her refusal to join with Bibi after the last election when her party – which was then Kadima – had the most seats in the Knesset and she would have been able to work out a deal in which she served as co-prime minister. Nevertheless, Livni has now reversed course and has accepted the positions of Justice Minister and chief negotiator with the Palestinians, and she will be reporting to Netanyahu rather than the eventual Foreign Minister in this latter gig.
Many people are now speculating on what this means for the peace process and whether Livni's overseeing negotiations means that we can expect some real movement ahead. I don't think this changes anything and I wouldn't be taking any investment advice from people who think that Livni is going to pull Netanyahu along rather than the reverse, but the really interesting angle here is the political one. Bringing Livni into the coalition is not about Netanyahu signaling anything on the peace process, but about putting pressure on Naftali Bennett to join the government. The thinking on Netanyahu's part goes as follows: he now has 37 seats lined up and getting Kadima and its 2 seats is a given, and he is on the verge of adding Shas (his real goal all along) and its 11 seats, which means that he can then turn to Bennett and Habayit Hayehudi and use their 12 seats to get past the magic number of 61. Netanyahu is gambling that once he adds Kadima and Shas, he will present Bennett with an ultimatum of joining the government or calling new elections, and that Bennett will not be able to withstand the pressure ensuing from calls for him to join a rightwing coalition and so he will crack. Essentially, Netanyahu is betting on Bennett's alliance with Yair Lapid and Yesh Atid not being strong enough to buck the rightwing nationalist forces in HH who want to band together with Likud and the religious forces in HH who don't see why serving in a government with Shas is the end of the world. Hence the immediate rumors that negotiations with Shas are proceeding and that it too will join the coalition imminently.
This plan of Bibi's seems nicely formulated, but ultimately I don't think it will work. More importantly, if Bennett is smart he will make sure that it doesn't. The success of Bibi's strategy turns on the idea that Bennett will do anything to avoid going to another round of elections, but much as I thought (correctly, as it turned out) that Netanyahu miscalculated in allying with Yisrael Beiteinu, I think he is miscalculating here as well. Netanyahu's gamble is that new elections will cost Bennett seats and weaken his position, and that might have been true before yesterday, but bringing in Livni changes things in a big way. If I am a HH voter, I am not going to punish the party for not joining with its natural Likud partner by fleeing and and now voting for Likud since bringing Tzipi Livni on board to deal with peace process issues makes Likud untrustworthy. Looking at this map of election results and seeing where HH got votes makes this point abundantly clear; voters in Elon Moreh and Karnei Shomron are not now going to give up on Bennett and vote for Bibi given his most recent coalition choice.
In addition, many Likud voters are not going to be terribly happy now that Netanyahu has banded together with Livni, and I don't see how doing so possibly increases his share of votes at all in a hypothetical new round of elections. If anything, it drives even more people away and into the arms of Bennett, and if you need some further proof, just look at Moshe Feiglin's crack today that he hopes Likud will be in the coalition too. Furthermore, by trying to repeat history and bring Shas – his most pliable partners – into the coalition, Netanyahu is turning his back on the draft issue, which is one of the most popular issues in Israel today and which Lapid rode to his stunning success. Not only is Netanyahu potentially angering his base by bringing Livni in, he is angering many other voters who don't understand why he insists on bringing Shas into the government despite the massive popular will for reforming the draft. Given what has transpired, if new elections were held today, I think that Likud would drop even further while Habayit Hayehudi and Yesh Atid would pick up some new mandates.
Netanyahu is behaving as if bringing first Livni and then Shas into the government gives him all the leverage he needs over Bennett to break up the YA-HH alliance, but I think he has things wrong. If he brings in Shas, he will then be unable to form a government without Lapid or Bennett (I am operating on the assumption that Labor is not joining at this point), and so in reality Bennett will be the one with the leverage over Netanyahu. Reports are that Bennett is feeling heat from within his party over his footdragging to run to Likud and his head-scratching unbreakable bond with Lapid, but by brining Livni into the government, Netanyahu actually did Bennett a favor. He now has a good excuse to sit tight, and once Netanyahu strikes a deal with Shas, he benefits further from sticking to his guns on the draft issue and staying out. If I were Bennett and Netanyahu presented me with the ultimatum to join the coalition with Shas or go to new elections, I would be printing up new campaign posters before even getting off the phone.