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ANALYSIS / Monumental tasks await Israel's newest political star, Tzipi Livni By Yossi Verter Tags: Shaul Mofaz, Tzipi Livni  All the tests that Tzipi Livni has had in her nine years in politics are dwarfed by what she will be experiencing starting on Thursday, even before the most dramatic test of them all: the premiership. She will have to unite a fractured party, bring closer a political rival who garnered close to 40 percent of the vote (according to the surveys) and begin coalition talks. She will be entering an exhausting power struggle against her predecessor, who due to the wonders of Israeli politics will stay even after he goes. The expectations are high, although we do not really know Livni and can only wait and see. She began nine years ago as head of the Government Corporations Authority, and now she is a step away from being head of the government. All her previous posts came to her because of a rare combination of circumstances. A junior minister under Sharon, she was promoted to justice minister after Shinui left the cabinet, and, eventually, foreign minister after Ariel Sharon fell ill. On Wednesday, she was elected Kadima chairman by some 20,000 voters. Ninet Tayeb needed ten times that to win the "A Star is Born" television talent show. Advertisement Two main factors made Livni's election possible: the polls showing she would bring more Knesset seats to Kadima than any other candidate and might even win the general election; and her clean image, which enthralled many in the age of Ehud Olmert. Coalition talks will begin, if unofficially, today. Livni knows how much mileage she must cover as prime minister to successfully run against two ex-premiers, Ehud Barak and Benjamin Netanyahau. That is her trap. Will "clean politics" and the "difference" she is so proud of lead her to be uncompromising in coalition talks, or will the prime minister's chair exert its inexorable pull on her, causing her to walk the paths of some of her predecessors? Bookmark to del.icio.us   Criticizing the world Desmond Tutu suggested the West does not admonish Israel because of the Holocaust. Ahmadinejad attack Ahmadinejad lashes out against Israel again, saying it won't survive in any shape or form.   1.   An Unenviable job....... 13:55  |  Dolly 18/09/08

Read & React Livni declares victory, says 'will approach this job with great reverence' Responses: 108 Gideon Levy: Arabs who back Kadima, Likud, and Labor are sellouts Responses: 89 Ahmadinejad: Israel won't survive in any shape or form Responses: 112 Neri Livneh: Tzipi Livni is Israel's Barack Obama Responses: 58 Israel Harel: How Israel caused the Oslo Accords to fail Responses: 60 More Headlines 23:48 Day after losing Kadima race, Mofaz announces 'time out from politics' 00:03 Netanyahu: Israel's citizens, not Kadima voters, must choose PM 01:48 Mofaz supporters blame disqualified Rahat votes for loss to Livni 02:05 UN official urges next Israeli government to stop settlement expansion 02:19 Obama wishes happy Rosh Hashanah to 900 rabbis 00:23 Pope Benedict: Pius XII 'spared no effort' to help Jews during WWII 00:24 Tutu: World doesn't criticize Israel because of the Holocaust 23:14 General Assembly chief: UN must adopt 1947 resolution on partition of Palestine 21:04 ANALYSIS / Tzipi Livni is Israel's Barack Obama 17:38 Police, IDF complete evacuation of illegal outpost of Yad Yair 18:31 500 Palestinian security force members head to Jordan for U.S.-funded training 18:58 Ahmadinejad: Israel won't survive in any shape or form 22:55 Condoleezza Rice, Hillary Clinton congratulate Livni on Kadima victory 20:39 Danish T-shirt company convicted of supporting Palestinian terror group Previous Editions Select Day 18 sep 17 sep 16 sep 15 sep 14 sep 12 sep 11 sep 10 sep 09 sep 08 sep 07 sep 05 sep

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