The Wire

Yesterday, Israel’s interim Prime Minister Ehud Olmert claimed victory in the Israeli election but his centrist Kadima party only got 28 out of 120 seats in the Knesset and will now have to form a coalition government. At the same time, Hamas, a group that Israel has refused to have any dealings with, has taken over power in the Palestinian territories. The Wire’s Middle East expert Dr John Bruni expects Kadima to form a coalition with the Labour party but how this will affect the Israel – Palestine relations is uncertain.