MKs clash over World Kadima appointment

A confrontation broke out on Monday once again in a Kadima faction meeting amid tensions between the party's Chairwoman Tzipi Livni and MKs in the faction who do not agree with her position.

During the meeting Livni announced that MK Eli Aflalo has resigned from his role as head of World Kadima, and said she plans to appoint MK Ronnie Bar-On in his place. MK Shai Hermesh criticized the move, and Bar-On backed down, but not before telling Hermesh what he thinks of him.

MK Hermesh was outraged by Livni's announcement and objected to the move, accusing the chairwoman of not conducting herself with transparency. "If Aflalo resigned, why didn't you notify us?" he wondered, "And if there is transparency, then why did you not come to the faction to have us mull it over together and vote."

Hermesh noted that Kadima contains four officials that served in the past in national institutes: Zeev Bielski, Nachman Shai, Meir Sheetrit, and himself, and pointed out that they were all available to fill the role.

"You should have held a discussion and a vote. This is a senior position, and there is no reason why announcements should be made from time to time, without any consideration."

MK Bar-On did not hold back, and called Hermesh a "loser", telling him to "go back to Likud, they are waiting for you. You are in the Knesset thanks to me. Who are you to speak of transparency, after you held secret talks with Bibi (Netanyahu)?"

Following the exchange of words, Bar-On announced that he had decided not to head World Kadima.

Officials in the factions said after the debate that Livni has not learned her lesson.

"After everything that has happened, she is making decisions on her own, and looking out for her associates," a Kadima official said. "The role of World Kadima chairman is an open ticket to the world, and Kadima has enough people to fill such positions."