Israel press rallies voters on election eve

Newspapers in Israel are full of advice for voters on the eve of the general election, with many worried about possible high numbers of abstainers.

The top circulation Yediot Aharonot breaks down its advice according to economic class and cautions against voting for single-issue parties.

A religious paper makes a dramatic plea for its "dejected" followers to vote, and there is an appeal to voters to ignore the opinion polls when making their choice.

EDITORIAL IN YEDIOT AHARONOT

Tomorrow the elections. Who to vote for? This time the choice is easy: the issues are important, not the leaders. Therefore, vote for the party that best represents your interests. If you earn below 7,000 shekels [$1,500] a month vote Labour. It will fight for people like you in government and the Knesset. If your income ranges from 7,000 - 30, 000 shekels a month vote Kadima. You're the backbone of Israeli society, the stable centre and its platform is custom-made for you. If you earn over 30,000 shekels [$6,400] per month vote Likud. The [Binyamin] Netanyahu-led Likud promises you less tax and cutting public services you don't need anyway. Who shouldn't you vote for? Don't vote for one-issue parties... Don't vote for sectarian parties... Don't vote for the hypocrite, shouters, magicians and the quick-on-the-draw because our situation is too serious.

SIMA KADMON IN YEDIOT AHARONOT

One cannot understand and certainly not justify the large number of those intending to abstain who pass responsibility for their lives and future to others. The ideological parties - Shas, United Torah Judaism and Nation Union-National Religious Party - always get a high percentage of voters. Abstention from voting strengthens them.

NADAV EYAL IN MAARIV

It must be said that the most recent polls almost without exception give different results. There is only one piece of advice to the confused, wise voter: be sceptical about the polls, take them almost with the same seriousness as one does astrological forecasts - one enjoys reading them and a moment later they are forgotten.

EDITORIAL IN HAARETZ

If, after the votes are counted, it turns out that [Labour Chairman] Amir Peretz succeeded in severing the bonds between the development towns and Likud and in overcoming the reluctance of those who immigrated in the 1950s to vote for the Labour Party - as seems likely from the warm reception that he was given on his campaign stops nationwide - that in itself would be enough to declare the success of Peretz's revolution. He began the campaign as a labour leader and ended it as the recognised leader of the Labour Party. Even if Labour does not win the largest number of seats, the impression that has been created is that, for the first time in years, it is going in the right direction - the direction of strengthening and crystallizing its ideology.

EDITORIAL IN JERUSALEM POST

In Israel, our election will clearly be a referendum on unilateralism as a strategy, both as it was carried out in Gaza and as [acting Prime Minister] Ehud Olmert has promised its application in Judea and Samaria [the West Bank]. Though the degree of endorsement by the electorate is yet to be seen, it seems more than possible that unilateralism will, even in the absence of Ariel Sharon, be ratified as the organising principle of Israeli policy. Further unilateralism, though by definition a step away from negotiations, is a radical step toward the two-state solution, and therefore can be considered a shift leftward in Israeli political terms. Kadima's strategy is essentially to force statehood on the Palestinians, even in the absence of a peace agreement.

ASAF GOLAN IN HATZOFE

All through the election campaign the religious right has had to contend with a spirit of dejection among its traditional voters. There is a feeling in the air of indifference toward the state. The expulsion of the Gush Katif settlers and leaving them to fend for themselves in hotels contributed to this. Also the harsh confrontation at Amona [illegal outpost] in which the ugly face of the rule of law was revealed has added to the lack of motivation for many to vote. The new alienation affects not only the election campaign but also the attitude to the symbols of the state. Don't be tempted by despair and separatism.

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