Livni: I'll bring people together
Photo: AFP
Livni woos Druze in Galilee
Foreign Minister running for Kadima chairmanship vies for support of Druze voters in Galilee, says equality 'is not a favor I do for someone, but an Israeli value'
Just over a month before the Kadima Party primary elections are scheduled to take place, candidates are making their rounds and attempting to meet as many eligible voters as possible.
Thus Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, who is in the running for party chairmanship, visited the Galilee village of Maghar on Tuesday where she met around 100 Druze residents active in the Kadima party.
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Livni's speech dealt mostly with issues of defense and politics. "Kadima is currently deciding the identity of the next prime minister and this is its main advantage, which comes with being the largest party in Israel.
"I am currently conducting negotiations with a pragmatic group within Palestinian society, which believes that a peace agreement based on the two-state solution can be reached while maintaining Israel's security.
"Unfortunately, there are places where fringe groups that represent extreme religious opinions take over and attempt to control policies. I respect religion, but it must not be allowed to become an extreme ideology."
She gave Hizbullah as an example, saying that the group "does not represent Lebanon as a state, but rather Iran. Unfortunately weapons still pass from Syria to Lebanon, to the hands of those who want to destabilize the region. Among the Palestinians there are also those who want peace, while Hamas in Gaza fights against a life of peace here."
Livni also said that in recent years Israel's government has suffered from instability, and that her rapidly changing offices testify to this. "Governments are being replaced too quickly and this halts procedures that are important to our society," she said.
Among those attending the foreign minister's speech was Deputy Foreign Minister Majalli Whbee, who voiced his approval. "You have previously proven that equality is important to you," he said. "You have a genuine talent for steering the country to safe shores."
