ISRAEL is heading for a re-match. On December 13th, the Knesset, or parliament, voted in favour of a bill that would allow Binyamin Netanyahu, a former prime minister, to compete for the job again against Ehud Barak, the current incumbent. Mr Barak, who easily defeated Mr Netanyahu at the last election, just 18 months ago, prompted a fresh one by submitting his resignation on December 9th. But the "Bibi bill" (in honour of Mr Netanyahu's nickname) must pass two more readings and a committee to become law. And its fate is only one of the election's many uncertainties. The most pressing question is whether the election will be just for the prime minister (who is directly elected), or for the Knesset as well. The candidates and the timing will follow on from that. But amid all the confusion, two things are clear. First, whoever runs and wins, the result will not put an end to the endless political bickering and constitutional manoeuvring that have plagued the past two governments. And that, in turn, will complicate and delay any progress in the peace process.Barak's cunning planMr Barak's resignation had the air of a dirty trick. Under the present electoral system, Israel would normally hold separate but simultaneous elections for prime minister and the Knesset. Indeed, just two weeks ago, Mr Barak had agreed to call such a general election some time next spring. But if the prime minister resigns, the law prescribes special elections for prime minister alone within 60 days. Although any candidate for the Knesset can also run for prime minister in a normal election, only a sitting member of the Knesset can run in a special election. After he lost last year’s elections for prime minister, Mr Netanyahu resigned from the Knesset seat he won in the parallel parliamentary poll. So, unless the law is changed or a general election is held, Mr Netanyahu will not be able to run against Mr Barak, despite being the runaway favourite in the opi...
