Herzog: Time to keep egos in check
After survey showed Herzog-Livni union would beat Netanyahu, Labor Chairman says center-left leaders must work together to form large bloc. Livni: 'This is an opportunity to replace Netanyahu'.
Labor Chairman Isaac Herzog said on Monday that "now is the time to keep the egos in check" and form a large center-left bloc, amid discussions regarding the possibility of a merger between the left-center parties to topple Netanyahu.
Earlier Monday, at Hatnua's last factional meeting, party chairwoman Tzipi Livni said that although it would be best to avoid elections – now at least an opportunity has been created to replace the Netanyahu administration.
"The Labor party is going back to being the ruling party," Herzog said at the opening of a Labor faction meeting, adding that "we will do so, among other ways, by forming a large centrist bloc – which means a larger Labor party. It is clear to us all that the good of the country is at our hearts, and we strive to lead it, in any way possible, towards a completely different direction from that in which it has been led in recent years."
Herzog added: "Now is the time to keep the egos in check and find the right framework that will allow us all to work together, because a large bloc means a particularly large Labor party. We will do that on March 17 (the election date) – we will do so with flying colors, and lead the country to a better future."
Also earlier, Livni said at the opening of Hatnua faction meeting that: "Today the Knesset will approve its own dissolution, provided that Netanyahu will not pull another stunt until elections day."
Livni also said, "The elections will take place because of a prime minister who is anxious and scared of his ministers. These elections are an opportunity to replace the current prime minister."
Livni further added that there is a need for a government that won't make security decisions based on fears and pressure, and that will preserve Israel's identity as a Jewish and democratic state, in a manner that will create a balance between the two parts of this equation.
Netanyahu: Zero-VAT on basic foods
In her comments, Livni lashed out at Netanyahu, noting that Amir Peretz, a representative of her party, had proposed VAT exemptions on food under supervision before Netanyahu had done so. Netanyahu said in response that "Some of our friends here know that I have been discussing for a while now the possibility of VAT exemptions on basic food products – eggs, milk, bread and cheese."
Netanyahu further said that "as long as the coalition was committed to a different bill for zero-VAT (Lapid's housing plan) it is obvious that it is impossible to do both – however, since that possibility has been set aside and we are going towards differential VAT, this would be the next logical step."
A new poll commissioned by the Knesset television channel showed on Monday that a union between Tzipi Livni and the Labor Party could create the largest party after elections in 2015, and beat Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party.
The poll, carried out by the Panels Politics research institute, said that were elections to take place today, the Likud would receive 21 seats, compared to 23 that Livni and Herzog would win together.
Bayit Yehudi would take 18 seats, while Yisrael Beiteinu, Yesh Atid, and Moshe Kahlon’s party would get nine each. United Torah Judaism would garner eight seats, Shas seven, and Meretz six.
Of the Arab parties, Hadash would receive five seats, as would United Arab List-Ta’al, while Balad didn’t pass the required threshold. However, the Arab parties are expected to unite ahead of the elections.
Without Livni, Labor would receive only 17 seats, according to the poll, which surveyed 500 adults based on a sample of the Israeli population, with a margin of error of up to 4.5%.
The Knesset was expected to finalize its dissolution on Monday afternoon and confirm general elections for March 17, 2015.
