>The popularity of one of the candidates rose sharply because of careless words spoken by the ambassador of the United States. Basically, the ambassador said: "Don't vote for this man". As a result, many people voted for him, out of protest, or nationalistic feelings. In the meantime, another party speeks of a conspiracy - IOW, they claim the counterproductive recommendation, by the ambassador, was not careless, but on purpose.

Symptomatic of the American governments arrogance in their belief that they are the sole arbiters of who is fit to be democratically elected to run a country. The ambassador was simply following in the footsteps of his President & had exactly the same effect.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/Story/0,2763,747746,00.html