Hawk Hawk

Israel's general election campaign continues.

This Reuters report indicates that the two party leaders who are best placed to become prime minister are trying to out-hawk each other on the issue of control of the Gaza Strip by Hamas.

There is a full spectrum of opinion in Israel on issues of war and peace. But reports generally indicate that the Kadima and Likud parties, whose leaders, Tzipi Livni and Benjamin Netanyahu respectively, issued the hard-line statements about Gaza, are vying for the lead role in forming the next coalition government. Likud is ahead, with Kadima within striking distance. Ehud Barak's Labor Party trails a significant distance behind.

That seems to indicate that the Israeli electorate is leaning toward the more militant side of that spectrum. Perhaps the thunder of both the Lebanon War of 2006 and attacks on Israel from Gaza has drowned out the cooing of the doves.