Livni. 'Must embrace potential deserters'
Photo: Yaron Brener
Mofaz. Likud waiting for rift
Photo: Tsafrir Abayov
Lieberman. On his way out?
Photo: Gil Yohanan
Kadima official: Livni must unite party
Ynet report on deadline set by Mofaz for primary elections sparks political row. Likud waiting for developments, Kadima sources call on chairwoman to prevent split in party
A Ynet report
that Knesset Member Shaul Mofaz
plans to form a separate faction if Kadima
Chairwoman Tzipi Livni
refuses to hold primary elections in the coming months has sparked a political row. Senior party officials criticized Livni on Thursday night, saying she must work to unite the party despite the tension between her and Mofaz.
The confusion in the party began on Thursday afternoon, when Ynet revealed that Mofaz had threatened to split the party if Livni failed to make an unequivocal decision on the primaries. Livni has turned down Mofaz's demand to hold primaries in the coming months, saying she refuses to make decisions under threats.
One of the sources told Ynet, "Livni must now work to unite the ranks. She must ground her teeth together and do everything she can in order to prevent a split in Kadima. Livni must embrace all those threatening to leave the party, rather than listen to those advisors telling her to get rid of those MKs who want to leave the party."
Criticism
Attila Somfalvi
Ahead of discussion on moving up Kadima primaries, MK Mofaz comes out against party chairwoman, says, 'She prefers dividing and destroying Kadima instead of democratically and properly addressing issues.' If primaries decided against, estimates are that Mofaz will push for split
Likud members and sources close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are waiting patiently for any developments and for a real rift in Kadima. The ruling party is scattering promises and wooing Kadima lawmakers, in a bid to prompt them to leave their party and join the coalition.
Lieberman preparing to quit government?
Political sources have estimated recently that Yisrael Beiteinu Chairman Avigdor Lieberman is planning to resign from the government. Some Kadima members believe the foreign minister is preparing the ground for leaving the coalition for unknown reasons, in a similar move to the one he had taken as minister in the Olmert government. These estimates have not been confirmed by the Yisrael Beiteinu party.
Sources in Kadima have estimated that if Netanyahu loses his partnership with Lieberman, he will seek to add a group of Kadima deserters to his government in order to strengthen and stabilize the coalition.
Kadima lawmakers have said that they are interested in influencing the public agenda, but it is still unclear whether they will join Mofaz's potential move and split from the party.
Meanwhile, following the deadline, senior Kadima officials have been trying to convince Livni that a split would cause more damage than benefit the party. On the other hand, other senior Kadima officials have been trying to convince the chairwoman that the departure of several MKs "motivated by self-interests" will have a good effect on the party's status.
Kadima faction chairwoman Dalia Itzik began working Thursday to prevent a split in the party. Itzik is attempting to mediate and connect between Livni and Mofaz, but it is unclear whether her efforts will have a positive influence on Kadima's unity.
Livni met with Netanyahu on Thursday as part of the prime minister's monthly briefing to the opposition leader. During the short meeting, which was said to be harsh, Livni criticized Netanyahu's conduct on different matters.
"It was basically a good meeting," a knowledgeable source said, "but she let him know what she thinks."
