Mofaz: We won't stay in the government at any cost
Kadima chairman meets faction members to discuss party's position on haredi draft, continues to insist on personal sanctions clause
Kadima Chairman Shaul Mofaz says Kadima won't stay in the government "at any cost," according to his associates. "We joined this government for very specific reasons, with the Tal Law the prime among them," they said.
"If the prime minister fails to go with us on this issue – he won't go with us on other issues as well." Mofaz is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday to try and reach understandings on the matter.
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On Saturday, Mofaz convened an emergency meeting with some of his faction members at his house in order to consolidate Kadima's position on personal sanctions against haredim that refuse to enlist. On Tuesday, the Plesner Committee will hold its final meeting and is set to submit its recommendations by the end of the week.
"We are committed to the principle of universal draft," Mofaz told his faction members. "The law cannot be implemented without personal accountability. We cannot compromise on this. We will negotiate how this can be achieved and work to find solutions.
"Kadima is not interested in subduing the haredi public and we are not advancing an anti-haredi law. Personal accountability will consolidate the service so that we can meet our goals and achieve an 80% share of the burden in the haredi sector within five years."
Kadima against Arab draft
The Kadima faction is set to hold another meeting in Jerusalem on Sunday to reaffirm its position on the matter. The party however intends to reject the conclusions on Arab draft.
Netanyahu last week announced that "Arab citizens, along with the haredim, must carry their equal share of the burden" after Yisrael Beiteinu and Habayit Hayehudi said they were quitting the Plesner Committee.
Tensions between Netanyahu and Mofaz grew over the weekend alongside increasing verbal attacks against Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman. Members of the Likud accused Mofaz and Kadima of trying to break up the coalition and bring about Lieberman's resignation.
Mofaz's people later accused Netanyahu of causing the cancelling of a meeting between the Kadima chairman and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The Palestinians however claimed they had canceled the meeting.
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