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Last update - 06:14 01/09/2008
Livni goes into battle to pry Rishon Letzion away from Mofaz
By Mazal Mualem
Tags: Tzipi Livni, Rishon Letzion 

Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni is trying to break her main rival's grip on the biggest prize in Kadima's leadership race: Rishon Letzion.

The city has some 6,000 registered Kadima members, more than any other city in Israel. However, it is considered a stronghold of Livni's only serious rival, Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz, because Mayor Meir Nitzan and other key local party activists are backing him.

Although only two and half weeks remain until the primary, Livni has decided not to concede the city. Over the weekend, therefore, she appointed MK Yoel Hasson, a Rishon Letzion native son, to run her campaign there. His mission will include recruiting local activists and organizing a get-out-the-vote operation on election day.
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Livni's campaign staff, headed by campaign chairman MK Tzachi Hanegbi, have prepared a detailed list over the last few days of every key Kadima activist in the city - most of whom currently support Mofaz. Ministers and MKs supporting Livni plan to hold "softening-up" conversations with each of these activists, and after that, each will be granted a personal meeting with Livni.

Recently, Livni met with one such activist, Eitan Shalom, who is considered the biggest vote contractor in Rishon Letzion. However, her attempt to persuade him to switch his support from Mofaz to her failed.

Her campaign's goal is to make personal contact with every Kadima member in Rishon Letzion and, if necessary, to arrange a personal phone call or meeting with Livni. This strategy, Hasson said, stems from the campaign's assessment that while most of the activists back Mofaz, most of the rank-and-file party members in the city back Livni.

"We're not conceding Rishon Letzion," he said. "We will reach every party member and convince them. We'll explain to them what's good for Kadima, and what's good for Rishon Letzion. Meir Nitzan is running for [reelection as] the city's mayor on Kadima's behalf, and Tzipi at the head of Kadima could give him an enormous boost." But supporters of her rival do not seem worried by Livni's intensified activity in Rishon Letzion and other Mofaz bastions.

"Tzipi can meet with whomever she pleases," said Nitzan. "Rishon Letzion has the largest number of Kadima members, and that's her right."

Members of Mofaz's campaign staff accused Livni of hypocrisy for trying to recruit the very vote contractors she has previously decried. In addition, noting that Mofaz has been in close contact with these activists for over two years, they heaped scorn on her chances of luring them away in a single phone call or meeting.

Livni is also battling for votes among rural and agricultural communities, where most of the approximately 5,600 Kadima members currently support Mofaz. MK Shai Hermesh, who is this sector's official representative in Kadima, came out in favor of Livni over the weekend, but other rural leaders, who support Mofaz, insisted yesterday that this would not cut into the transportation minister's strong lead in this community.

A third area in which Livni is trying to close a gap with Mofaz is his much stronger get-out-the-vote organization. She recently appointed MK Yohanan Plesner to head her election-day operation.

Related Articles:
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