Far from assuming that theswingofthependulum will in good time carry the Tories inexorably back to power, some of his party's leaders have privately written off their chances of victory in the next election.
Mr Netanyahu, with an eye to the middle-of-the-road voter, could conceivably swingthependulum leftwards again in the months ahead, perhaps carrying out the next phase of withdrawal prescribed by Wye and softening his refusal to free more political prisoners.