Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: Yitzhak Shamir

Mr. Netanyahu Dept: Not one of the top 20, except for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, supports the notion of any kind of Palestinian state being created. Instead there are several individuals with close relationships to the most extreme settlers, according to Globe and Mail. Even a small shift in January s election could make a difference. Observers say the right wing bloc lead by Mr. Netanyahu cannot afford to relinquish more than 3 or 4 per cent of the vote without losing its majority and while the party of Menachem Begin, Yitzhak Shamir and Ariel Sharon would never have been described as left-leaning, the cluster of pro-settler activists and peace-process opponents in the first 25 places the only ones with a realistic chance of being elected is well to the right of any previous mainstream party. Mr. Netanyahu, who had hoped the recent eight-day campaign of air strikes on Hamas in Gaza might boost his support within the party, did not want this sharp turn to the right. He knows the party risks losing votes from some of its more moderate supporters. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.