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Last update - 09:27 02/08/2008
Defiant Mofaz vows to beat frontrunner Livni in Kadima race
By Yossi Verter and Natasha Mozgovaya, Haaretz Correspondents
Tags: Shaul Mofaz, Tzipi Livni 

Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz, who is locked in what is widely acknowledged to be a two-person race for the Kadima chairmanship against Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, said on Friday that the latest poll numbers indicating an advantage in favor of his rival are bound to change.

"I wouldn't advise anyone to base the future on polls," Mofaz, who is holding discussions in the United States with Bush administration officials over Iran's nuclear program, said on Friday. "[The polls] are a mood, and this will change. I'm sure that I will win the primaries."

Livni would lead Kadima to victory over Likud if elections were held today, according to a special poll conducted by Dialog on Thursday on behalf of Haaretz.
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The results of the poll are expected to have a dramatic effect on Livni's standing inside Kadima and on her race with Mofaz for the party's leadership.

Mofaz said Friday that were he to emerge victorious, he would immediately move to form a unity government. "A unity government is important," he said. "If the Likud won't want to join, there are other parties in the Knesset and I believe that they will join a coalition headed by myself. My ability to form such a government, a government of national emergency, is second to none."

The former defense minister and IDF chief of staff added that a number of factions have already approached him on the subject. "I intend to put together as broad a coalition as possible, one that will ensure government stability because the state of Israel is faced with significant, existential security challenges," Mofaz said. "I have the experience and the capability to make decisions and to lead Israel to a safer path."

Mofaz also called for further peace talks with Syria, saying the talks "should continue, without preconditions," after Prime Minister Ehud Olmert steps down.

For all the bitter struggle between Livni and Mofaz, Thursday's poll, conducted a day after Olmert announced that he would not seek reelection as Kadima's leader, shows that the foreign minister is the only politician who currently has enough public support to defeat Likud Chairman Benjamin Netanyahu.

The poll of 503 Israelis, which has a margin of error of 4.1 percent, showed that in national elections, Kadima headed by Livni would win 26 seats in the Knesset, compared to 25 for Likud under Netanyahu.

Netanyahu has consistently led in the polls for the past two years, but yesterday's survey seems to indicate that the political arena is changing.

The poll, supervised by Professor Camil Fuchs of Tel Aviv University's Statistics Department, suggests that the three main political parties - Kadima, Likud and Labor - are nearly tied in the number of seats they will command in parliament after the next election. However, Livni seems to be the only Kadima candidate who could keep the party in the leading role and compete with Likud for votes on the right.

With Mofaz at the head of Kadima, Likud does much better, even though the transportation minister is perceived as a rightist who might even defect to Likud after the elections in exchange for the Defense Ministry.

If Livni's current popularity continues, the impact on the political system may be substantial. For example, Labor will not rush toward national elections as long as polls suggest that it would only win 17 seats in parliament and that its leader, Defense Minister Ehud Barak, enjoys a mere eight percent support as a candidate for prime minister. Livni, in contrast, receives 22 percent support, and Netanyahu 29 percent.

Another possible impact of this poll is that Barak and Netanyahu may seek to help Mofaz be elected as head of Kadima - a choice that would serve them both well.

Related articles:
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  • Olmert: I'll quit once new Kadima leader chosen
  • Aluf Benn / Over and out
  • Lies I told about Lebanon
  • His time was up
  • Livni: All parties that support peace must unite under Kadima
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      1.   Never Believe polls Next election LIkud will win BIG 03:28  |  Kipperraes 01/08/08
      2.   You Go Girl! 03:36  |  Slibovitz 01/08/08
      3.   This is a good laugh 03:44  |  Rabbi Yakov Lazaros 01/08/08
      4.   Haaretz Lies 04:04  |  Rabbi Yakov Lazaros 01/08/08
      5.   Elections in Syria 04:46  |  Fish 01/08/08
      6.   It would be best 04:58  |  Mark Lincoln 01/08/08
      7.   503 Israelis polled 05:00  |  Nemesis 01/08/08
      8.   Election now 05:00  |  Brod 01/08/08
      9.   Yesterday it was BIBI by a landslide 05:16  |  Ralph Levy 01/08/08
      10.   If True, Israelis Never Learn 05:26  |  Tod Zuckerman 01/08/08
      11.   LIVNI WILL LOOSE SHE IS A DEFEATIST LEFTIST -POLL IS FALSE 05:39  |  Herry Mann 01/08/08
      12.   polski dolski 05:43  |  Oh Sure 01/08/08
      13.   hah hahahaha 05:45  |  Witless 01/08/08
      14.   pollster "Dialog" is known leftist liar. Livni =leftist 06:06  |  ROB SCHWARTZ 01/08/08
      15.   Rightwingers panicking! 06:15  |  Eric 01/08/08
      16.   Pollster Camil Fuchs is known leftist propagandist & liar 06:18  |  Rachel 01/08/08
      17.   Mark Lincoln is right...but 06:40  |  Afikoman 01/08/08
      18.   POLL IS GOOD! LET LIVNI UNSEAT OLMERT,THEN LEAD KADIMA TO DEFEAT) 06:50  |  Mustafa Natsheh 01/08/08
      19.   POLL IS GOOD! LET LIVNI UNSEAT OLMERT,THEN LEAD KADIMA TO DEFEAT) 07:11  |  PUBLISH THIS POST!!! 01/08/08
      20.   DON`T LET LIKUD WIN BIG! LET THEM FEEL THE HEAT FROM REAL RIGHT)) 07:13  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 01/08/08
      21.   Leftist press panics, tries to prevent elections 07:23  |  Binyamin Dissen 01/08/08
      22.   Haaretz started a campain for Livni,Thank you 07:23  |  Zippi Livni 01/08/08
      23.   Kadima led by Livni etc 07:26  |  jankel 01/08/08
      24.   to eric 07:40  |  fad egypt 01/08/08
      25.   And that is why Kadima is afraid of elections 07:46  |  Ilan 01/08/08
      26.   Only in Haaretz - Go Livni 08:32  |  Zev 01/08/08
      27.   Of course Barak and Netanyahu will help Mofaz! 08:38  |  redmike 01/08/08
      28.   #15 - if you want peace then move to New Zealand! 08:46  |  redmike 01/08/08
      29.   Only not Mofaz... 08:49  |  Esther 01/08/08
      30.   GET READY FOR A RUDE AWAKENING!!!!! 09:00  |  KADIMA=CRIMINALS 01/08/08
      31.   *********** LIES LIES AND MORE LIES ***************** 09:01  |  Media is delusional 01/08/08
      32.   Is There No Legal Recourse to Shut Down This Propagandist? 09:06  |  Ovadiah ben Avraham 01/08/08
      33.   Yossi Verter: Another Day in the Ministry of Truth 09:14  |  Ovadiah ben Avraham 01/08/08
      34.   Kadima and the trash heap of history 09:18  |  tova 01/08/08
      35.   As Long As Israel Deals Dead For Live, It Matters Not 09:21  |  Yigal ben Shmuel 01/08/08
      36.   Livni is unacceptable, period! 09:22  |  Moshe 01/08/08
      37.   So called rabbi Lazarus of the USofA on having a laugh 09:28  |  Ari ben Yisrael 01/08/08
      38.   It beats me... 09:34  |  Esther 01/08/08
      39.   Poll: Kadima led by livni edge out Likud in elections 09:35  |  martin list, m.d. 01/08/08
      40.   Quite hysterical how the Galut Gambollers cannot accept 09:37  |  Ari ben Yisrael 01/08/08
      41.   Haaretz and Livni 10:20  |  Ralph 01/08/08
      42.   THE FIRST THING LIVNI MUST DO 10:31  |  indrajaya 01/08/08
      43.   dare she prove the polls right ! of course not 10:50  |  victor hardman 01/08/08
      44.   Right, Kadima wants elections now 10:51  |  Ilan 01/08/08
      45.   fake poll 11:23  |  habilp 01/08/08
      46.   Baruch Hshem! 11:25  |  Absolute Israel 01/08/08
      47.   double plus good 11:27  |  stalin`s victim 01/08/08
      48.   KADIMA`S TIME IS UP......AND OUT! 11:32  |  SPTZ 01/08/08
      49.   Livni might be the last PM of Israel 12:28  |  Jonathan S 01/08/08
      50.   Livni will be great for Israel 12:50  |  Hannah 01/08/08
      51.   6# Mark Lincoln. 12:55  |  Akram Zekaria 01/08/08
      52.   Re Jonathan in Frankfurt #49 13:51  |  Esther 01/08/08
      53.   Israeli Hearts 13:53  |  Ronnie Wolman 01/08/08
      54.   Probably false, but good news 14:25  |  Tosefta 01/08/08
      55.   Polls 14:30  |  JW 01/08/08
      56.   Jonathan S, I never knew you were such a right wing extremist 14:37  |  christoph 01/08/08
      57.   Livni will not last long ........ 15:22  |  Dolly 01/08/08
      58.   poll on maariv 15:24  |  fad egypt 01/08/08
      59.   Livni the media star #56 15:35  |  Jonathan S 01/08/08
      60.   Care-taker government under Olmert for months 16:08  |  Sarah 01/08/08
      61.   #24 & #58 fad from Egypt 16:08  |  Eric 01/08/08
      62.   Her (alleged) popularity after th