Lieberman recommends Netanyahu

The recommendations by the Knesset parties are starting to trickle in, but the suspenseful waiting for Avigdor Lieberman's vote is now over. Yisrael Beiteinu has recommended Likud for the party best able to put together a coalition.

He added a caveat however, and tried to stipulate it was conditioned on Livni being in the government. Actually there are conflicting reports as to whether he states it as a qualification for his support, or simply a desire on his part to see Livni in the government.

Bibi has said that they also seek a broad coalition, so it was already a given. The question remains of course, whether or not Kadima will sit in a unity government with Netanyahu at the head, and with Shas in the coalition. One news flash on Haaretz indicates Livni has signaled that they will lead the opposition and not sit in the government. This isn't necessarily a good thing for the national camp...it's hetze/hetze (half/half) which I will explain later.

Labor and Meretz are recommending no one. Here is the breakdown so far available in the English press:

Recommendations:
Kadima (28 seats): Kadima
Likud (27 seats): Likud
Labor: No one
Jewish Home (3 seats): Likud
Meretz: No one
Balad (Arab): No one
Yisrael Beiteinu (15 seats): Likud
Shas: Meeting as we speak
Ichud Leumi:
United Torah Judaism:
Hadash (Arab/Jewish)
Ra'am-Ta'al (Arab):

Officially at this point, Kadima has 28 seats and Likud has 45 seats. The expectations are for Shas, Ichud Leumi and UTJ to go with Likud which would give them 20 more seats or 65 total. The Arab parties are expected to follow suit with Balad and Labor and abstain from recommendation.

One never knows in the last minute what the remaining parties will do for sure, so it's not over til it's over....or "someone" sings as they say......so stay tuned.