So today the Israeli election results were posted.

1. Kadima 28
2. Labor 20
3. Shas 13
4. Yisrael Beiteinu 12
5. [sic] Likud 11
6. Ichud Leumi / NRP 9
7. Gil 7
8. United Torah Judaism 6
9. Meretz 4
10. United Arab List 4
11. Balad 3
12. Hadash 3

Israeli politics is such that a coalition is required to get anything through the Knesset, a group of parties must come together to form a plurality of 61 seats. Kadima has been blasted by Israeli rightwing parties for wanting to "carry out an additional set of unilateral withdrawals from occupied land - this time, in the West Bank. Olmert says he would annex major settlement blocks, evacuate many others, and declare Israel's part to end the conflict done." ٍSounds great, no?

The Amona evacuation was a shining xample of the policy of the current Israeli administration towards charedi Orthodox Jews. The first of up to 1,500 civil rights complaints was filed with the Israeli police, including reports by some female Amona residents that they were "sexually and verbally assaulted by male officers at the scene." [link to Amona video (8 1/2 minutes)]

And that was Olmert's doing. That's what we should xpect from Kadima.

Baruch Hashem we can count on our religious parties!

Arutz Sheva reported one particularly brazen UTJ (United Torah Judaism) MK as saying:

"In political matters, one need not consult with the Torah sages."

What? Charedi Jews vote for religious parties because they want to see Torah outlooks and viewpoints reflected in Israeli society. Time Magazine noted that peace took a backseat in this election to real-world assessments of the situation with the Palestinians, and in short, "the social agenda". This is certainly a time when you want to ask your rabbi.

Yediot Acharanot reported of a banned Shas ad and ridiculed it as "Rav Ovadia saying a vote for Shas gets you into heaven". Here's what really happened -- from their own article:

Retiring Shinui Knesset Member Ilan Shalgi condemned the comments of Shas Chairman Eli Yishai, and said that Yishai's comments should be condemned by all parties. "Promises of heaven and debasing a High Court judge are a dangerous combination for democracy," he said.

During the Shas ad, footage is shown of Rabbi Ovadia addressing enthused followers showing a Shas rally.

Rabbi Ovadia told his listeners about a man who reaches heavens and fears God's verdict. At that point, a white angel appears and tells the man he is heading to heaven for building a mikvah (Jewish ritual bath) and a synagogue. The man says he has not done any of that because he had no money, but later admits he did vote for Shas.

The angel's reply: "Exactly. And by sending emissaries who built mikvahs and synagogues and safeguarded the world of Torah, you're a party to mitvzot and your place is in heaven." Therefore, the rabbi explained, anyone who votes for Shas will end up in heaven.

A parallel ad was also banned from Shinui, " in which a secular person is seen walking towards a poll, with ultra-Orthodox men grasping his legs." This highly offensive ad eventually did run.

Shas MK Eli Yishai said, "Those who silence the words of the Torah are the representatives of a world view which leans on hatred and the destruction of Judaism."

Olmert is expected to form a coalition out of some quite unlikely partners:

f the opinion polls are correct, then Ehud Olmert will be asked to form the next government and he will likely turn to the Labor Party and Shas, and then maybe to the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism (UTJ) and Meretz as well.

ein lanu 'al mi lhi'sha'en ela al Avinu she'ba'shamayim -- we really can only rely on our Father in Heaven.