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JNS election night event brings lively discussion to issues facing new Israeli government

A live audience heard the latest updates as the Knesset election concluded and exit polling results were announced.

By World Israel News Staff

JNS, the Jewish News Syndicate, held an election night event in Jerusalem before a live audience. The event was streamed on jns.org.

World Israel News staff members were in attendance at the first-ever JNS Israeli election night event provided updates from the headquarters of Israeli parties, analysis by a panel of observers on the likely makeup of the new government and the central issues it will face. The audience could feel the excitement building as the 10 p.m. closing time for polling stations neared and the exit polls came in.

WIN broadcast the event live on its Facebook page and website. Click here to watch the broadcast.

JNS managing director and Jerusalem bureau chief Alex Traiman was joined by co-moderators Dan Diker, director of the Political Warfare Project at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, and former Knesset Member Dov Lipman, senior manager for community outreach at Honest Reporting.

The experts in attendance included Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, Times of London and JNS columnist Melanie Phillips, president of the Jerusalem Institute for Strategic Studies Professor Efraim Inbar, professor of politics at Bar-Ilan University Gerald Steinberg, director of Palestinian Media Watch Itamar Marcus, director of the Israel Victory Project Daniel Seaman, director of Israel Unwired Avi Abelow, former U.S. Defense Department adviser on Islamic Affairs Harold Rhode, and radio-show host Eve Harow.

The panelists discussed the role security still plays in how voters determine which party they want in power. Prof. Inbar said that aside from the Palestinian issue, the new Israeli government will have to face an urgent Iranian situation, and that while U.S. President Donald Trump has been very supportive of the Jewish State, he would not play a part in any Israeli attack on an Iranian nuclear reactor.

Former MK Lipman said that while the Palestinian issue has fallen off the radar to a large extent, it is still an issue that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has used to reach out to voters to stress the superiority of his handling of the matter.

Other issues discussed included the impact of the socio-economic situation on how Israelis vote, religion and state, the relationship between Israel and Diaspora Jewry, and relaying an accurate narrative about Israel to the international community.