Livni said leaning towards run with Labor
Despite Lapid's attempt to create centrist bloc, Israel's former top peace negotiator reportedly told Yesh Atid leader she was 'leaning' towards joining Labor for a center-left bloc.
Sources close to Labor Party Chairman Isaac Herzog and Hatnua Chairwoman Tzipi Livni say the two are nearing an agreement on a joint run in the 2015 elections, despite attempts by Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid to woo Livni to join the ranks of his centrist party.
There has been much talk that Livni, who is considered a strong and popular politicians but with a relatively weak party behind her, will join either leftist Labor or Yesh Atid – a new party formed by Lapid during the last election – taking the coveted No. 2 spot on either's list.
Though Labor is expected to see a sharp rise in power after the March 17 ballot, Yesh Atid, who has sat with Netanyahu in government for the past 20 months, is expected to be dealt a heavy blow.
Late Tuesday night Livni reportedly arrived at Lapid's Tel Aviv home for additional talks on a possible merger, which would also see a number of Hatnua members join either of the two parties.
Lapid reportedly urged Livni to join him rather than Labor, claiming that such a move would undermine the entire center-left bloc. According to Lapid, it was preferable to create a large centrist bloc, independent of the left, which could attempt to steal votes directly from Netanyahu.
Livni reportedly responded that she was "leaning towards Herzog." As of now there is no talk of a joint Lapid, Livni and Labor ticket.
Poll: Livni and Herzog can beat Netanyahu
Meanwhile, a Channel 10 poll released on Tuesday found Livni and Herzog together would win 22 mandates, while Likud - whether led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or former interior minister Gideon Sa'ar - would get 20 mandates.Bayit Yehudi would get 15 Knesset seats, Moshe Kahlon's party would end up with 13, Yisrael Beiteinu led by Avigdor Lieberman would get 11, Yesh Atid 10, Shas 7, United Torah Judaism 7 and Meretz 6. Hadash would get 5, UAL-Ta'al 4, and Hanin Zoabi's Balad party would not pass the threshold.
A similar result arose in a Knesset channel poll on Monday, that found a joint Herzog-Livni run would yield 23 seats while Likud would receive 21 seats.
When asked how suitable each candidate was to serve as prime minister, Netanyahu received 23 percent support, Labor leader Herzog significantly narrowed the gap to 22 percent support, Sa'ar received 13 percent support despite not being currently the leader of a political faction, while Bayit Yehudi leader Naftali Bennett also received 13 percent. Lieberman and Kahlon each got 10 percent support. Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid got 9 percent support.
