Israeli elections II

Article about the Gil (Pensioners) Party.

JPost

One Gil supporter saying she was "voting for the pensioners because they're the only party with a platform I can support. Actually, I'm not sure what the platform is," she admitted, "but I know that old people and poor people are sitting in the streets, and I feel bad and I want to do something to help them."

Back at Rabin Square, a crowd of teenage girls chanted "Save our grandfathers" on Tuesday afternoon. They said they had no official affiliation with any party, but had decided to come to the square at the last moment because "the old people need all the help they can get."
Labor's Shely Yacimovich was concerned over the phenomenon. She expressed concern on Tuesday with Tel Aviv youth she had met who said they were voting Gil because, well, it was trendy.

I've always had a special place in my heart for third parties (or, in this case, thirtieth parties). This is, perhaps, why the Israeli elections so fascinate me, in that each party has its own character and priorities, as opposed to the boring two-party system that reigns in many countries, that tries to fit every citizen into one of two boxes. Granted, a two-party system is probably a good way to avoid having 4 national elections in 7 years.

However, I would still be very shocked if Gil, Aleh Yarok, Chazit, Cheirut, Tafnit, Shinui(!), or any of the other sundry boutique parties manage to pass the 2% threshold.