ISRAELI TO BE PM

Israeli prime ministerial hopeful Tzipi Livni is encountering a new problem in her bid for power and it is something she cannot do much about: her sex.

Livni cannot do much about this particular obstacle in her path to power
Ms Livni is trying to build a coalition government having won leadership of her own Kadima party and with current prime minister Ehud Olmert standing down.
She will almost certainly have to cut a deal with one or more of the small religious parties that often play the role of kingmaker in Israeli politics.
But she is up against the scriptures.
In particular, this verse from the Jewish Sages: "Thou shalt set a king over thee."
That's king, you will notice, not queen.
And this ruling from the great Jewish thinker Maimonides: "One should not make a woman king and only men should be appointed to all positions in the Jewish people."
Both instructions were written more than 800 years ago, but they are still a problem for Ms Livni.
More up to date, this week the spiritual leader of one branch of ultra-orthodox Judaism, Rabbi Yosef Elyashiv, has reportedly said: "It is not simple to sit in a government where the prime minister is a woman."
He was also asked about the previous woman prime minister Golda Meir, who ruled in the 1970s, and pointedly observed that the ultra-Orthodox were not partners in her coalition.
Observers say the 98-year-old's comments are not a final judgement but give clues about his views on the subject as his faithful within the United Torah Judaism party consider whether or not to throw their weight behind Ms Livni.
Another religious party, Shas, has said Livni's gender is not a problem for them - but they are still are dragging their heels about joining her government for other reasons.
She will almost certainly need one party or the other, and preferably both, if she wants to form a strong coalition.