IS IT "SURVIVOR" - OR - "AMERICAN IDOL"

The project is part of Rosner's Domain, and is moderated by Haaretz Chief U.S. Correspondent, Shmuel Rosner.

As part of a new project, The Israel Factor: Ranking the presidential candidates" the panel will rank the candidates every month, up until the 2008 election, awarding them marks out of 10 on a series of questions that will determine which candidates are "best" for Israel.

THIS MONTH'S WINNER IS...


Israeli panel: Giuliani is 'best' presidential candidate for Israel
By Haaretz Staff

Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani is the "best" candidate in the 2008 race for Israel, a panel of eight Israeli experts assembled by Haaretz has determined

The panel was asked to score the candidates on the following issues, on a scale of one to 10, with one being "worst" for Israel and 10 being "best" for Israel. The first four questions deal with ongoing events and so will change each month; the fifth is a general question that will be asked each time:

1. How much of an effort will the candidate make to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?

2. To what extent does the candidate view Israel as a strategic asset?

3. How much of an emotional connection does the candidate have to Israel?

4. How willing would the candidate be to use military force to prevent Iran from getting nuclear weapons?

5. How "good for Israel" is the candidate?