Just a few comments...

In the last two or three days, I've been hearing mention of Shinui, a secularist party whose major thrust is repeal of the special privileges granted to the Orthodox (such as, no compulsory military service, free schooling, no taxes) - which were railroaded through the Knesset because Shas have been the coalition-makers. As of the 5 p.m. EST cycle of "All Things Considered", Shinui was projected to win 14 to 16 seats, as compared to the 6 they held previously.

Labor (the party of the late Shimon Perez), in the meantime, has lost big. They were quoted as saying they would not join a coalition with Likud this time. And neither Shinui or Shas will enter a coalition which includes the other... this election could well need to be run again, and soon.

I also heard that voter turnout was low (didn't hear a percentage); interviewees were complaining of "no real choice" betrween Labor and Likud. Sound familiar?

If memory serves (and it very well may not ), the Intifada restarted after Sharon's provocation at the Dome of the Rock. Up until then, the Oslo Accords seemed like they were getting somewhere. Seemed like a calculated move at the time, at least to me, and still does.