Tuesday, Jan 28, 21:58. Prof. Kamil Fox, the supervisor of channel 1's sample said the Likud has achieved a great victory, and Meretz has crashed. I wasn't even close to imagine the horrifying results that were flashing on the screen seconds later. The poll has almost projected the elections preciously.

Meretz is the biggest loser of the elections. The Knesset itself also lost excellent MKs such as Illan Gil'on and Mossi Raz, not to mention Meretz's quality 2nd tenth, featuring Yossi Beilin, Yael Dayan and Yoav Kriem.

Fortunately, despite the success, the Likud have 37 seats, less than 1/3 of the Knesset. It is not a strong base for the narrow government they are going to build. Liberman on his right and Bush on his left, Sharon is unlikely to do what no Israeli prime minister has done in the last 10 years and complete a four years term of office.

In the meantime, the opposition should start acting. No hopes in Lapid. Let his do what he wants. We need to organize the left, the real opposition to Sharon. Talks of founding a new social democrat party started months ago. It is time to start working for it in real, uniting the bulk of Meretz and the Labour, and trying to bite Shinui, Am Ehad and the Arab parties. We need a big, united leftist front against Sharon. It has to be a new brand, and draw away of the elitist image of the Labour and Meretz.

It is unclear how to create the inevitable yet unpopular connection between the conflict with the Palestinians to the economical troubles. It is unpopular to object the government's action, but there will be no social justice and a healthy society inside Israel if we won't treat the Palestinian in the most humane way we can.

The fight has to be concentrated in defending Israel, and not in expanding the settlements, stealing land and torpedoing a future peace treaty. War against terrorism, and even just and defensive occupation can be done while keeping our humanism and our enemy's honor. While fighting it, we should try to strive to a political solution and be ready to painful concessions in exchange for peace.

This is the alternative the opposition should present against Sharon's "bomb and escalate" policy.

Unfortunately, the elections showed that the poor people go like a herd to Sharon, instead of punishing him for his 100% failure and 0% success. But Meretz's social-focused campaign might have been effective in the long term. Joining with the neighborhoods is a slow process, but maybe next elections, some of the millions who will sink below the poverty line by then would make the logical decision and pin the recession and bloodshed on the regime.

Until then, everyone should try to stay away from the growing rivers of blood.