I'm just back from a long weekend roadtrip to the North and the Golan. It's still winter in the Golan but we (Theresa and I) had a great time. More on that soon when I have the pictures sorted.
This week coalition talks continue and things are not getting any clearer. Bibi is in the trenches to make the coalition he wants -- it's looking like he might have to cede more than he ever has before. It's also looking like the Palestinian issue (or in Hebrew the "diplomatic issue") is going to be far more central to this government's (when it is formed) mandate than the elections would have had us believe. Bibi has until March 15 to make a coalition government. If he cannot, President Peres will invite someone else to form a coalition. If he or she fails then there will be another election in mid-July. Meanwhile, Bibi's taking the heat for the saga of "Prisoner X" (and the attempt to censor the story) and for his ice cream budget! It was such a scandal that Netanyahu has cancelled his ice cream contract (USD 2800 per year). I feel a bit badly for him; I can imagine that a regular supply of pistachio gelato helps to soothe the life of the PM.
In weather news we are getting warmer daytime highs and feeling the heat of the sun again, but the nighttime lows are lower than they were in most of January. I continue to get good wear out of my down jacket!
This weekend we drove back to Jerusalem through the Jordan and Bet Shean valleys where spring is about to give over to summer (at 200 m below sea level the seasons are ahead!). It was a treat to be so warm. As we climbed out of the Judean desert and back into the Judean hills the mercury dropped and we remembered -- at 800 m above sea level it's a bumpy ride through spring!
No comments:
Post a Comment