Mr Bennett's growing number of supporters however see him as a plain-talking realist - a dichotomy which shows how far apart the left and right in Israel still are.

BBC: Campaigns struggle to impress as Israeli elections loom

And so the two of them continued, about ten metres apart, turning left onto the Street of the Founders.

NEWYORKER: Waiting

Marek Belka, the prime minister, is in a weak position, as his ruling Democratic Left Alliance has been falling apart over scandals and a weak economy.

ECONOMIST: Finally, a constitution. Now the hard part | The