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Last update - 00:03 19/09/2008
Netanyahu: Israel's citizens, not Kadima voters, must choose PM
By Haaretz Service
Tags: Shaul Mofaz, Kadima 

"The cleanest, fairest, most just thing to do now is to go to general elections," opposition leader and Likud Chairman Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday in his first response to Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni's victory in Wednesday's Kadima primary election.

"Millions of Israeli citizens should have the opportunity to choose who will lead them, it should not be left up to registered Kadima voters alone," Netanyahu said at a press conference he convened in Tel Aviv. "The people should decide who will lead them. Anyone who fears the people's choice is not fit to lead."

Formal coalition negotiations won't begin until the outgoing prime minister, Ehud Olmert, officially resigns, and President Shimon Peres assigns her the task of forming a new government. That could take place
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ext week. But Livni said she would begin informal coalition negotiations immediately. She will have 42 days to recruit a majority of 61 MKs to either remain in the coalition or join it, after which, should she fail, general elections will be called.

In one of her first acts as Kadima leader, she scheduled a meeting with Trade Minister and Shas Chairman Eli Yishai Thursday evening in efforts to recruit the ultra-Orthodox party to join the coalition.

Shas sources said Thursday that "Tzipi Livni knows that it is not the victory that is important, but rather the action taken afterward." Yishai added that "our condition for remaining in the coalition is a promise that Israel will not relinquish Jerusalem."

Yishai called Livni shortly after the final votes were tallied to congratulate her and to list his party's demands for remaining in the coalition. Yishai suggested an increased stipend for the weaker socio-economic levels as an alternative to the child allowances, which he had previously demanded as a condition for remaining in the government.

The Foreign Minister met Yishai Thursday evening and stressed the need to stabilize the political establishment. Sources close to Livni said the two planned to meet again next week.

Livni met with two out of three runner-ups to the Kadima primary - ministers Meir Sheetrit and Avi Dichter - on Thursday in order to discuss their cooperation in forming a new government. Sources close to Livni said the meetings could be characterized as being held in a positive and warm atmosphere. Sheetrit and Dichter agreed to continue cooperation.

Livni said to both of her rivals that each one of them possessed important qualities and talents that she wants to use and be assisted by.

Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz on Thursday canceled his meeting with Livni scheduled for Friday. Livni intended to ask Mofaz, as she did the other two candidates, to cooperate with her in forming a new government. She also wanted to ask him to rethink his announcement, earlier on Thursday, to take a break from politics. His cancellation appeared to inidicate his refusal.

Livni associates are expected to launch negotiations for the formation of a new coalition or for the preservation of the current government, under the assumption that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will announce his resignation in the near future.

Upon hearing the primary results, Sheetrit declared that Kadima "should form a coalition without giving in to Haredi demands and extortion." If Livni fails to form a coalition, Sheetrit added, "Kadima's existence is in danger."

Earlier Thursday, Livni phoned Labor chair Ehud Barak to discuss possible cooperation between the two parties in the future. Assessments suggest that in light of Labor's poor standings among voters, it is likely to choose staying in the government in order to avoid early elections.

Labor minister Yuli Tamir said Thursday that Israel is in a current state of uncertainty and must therefore aspire for political stability.

Related articles:
  • Day after losing Kadima race, Mofaz announces 'time out from politics'
  • ANALYSIS / Livni's first priority will be to de-Olmertize Kadima
  • Shas: If Livni wants a coalition, she must fulfill our demands
    • 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.   "NONE OF THE ABOVE" WON! 13:22  |  Rodney Sanders 18/09/08
      2.   Livni Begins to Forge Coalition 15:08  |  JordanisPalestine 18/09/08
      3.   WHAT`S THE POINT? GIVE AWAY TERRITORY? 15:40  |  SHMUEL 18/09/08
      4.   THE END 15:51  |  Himmelstrasse 18/09/08
      5.   A close look at the "election" 16:00  |  Arie 18/09/08
      6.   kadima-the party of exclusion 16:04  |  Arie 18/09/08
      7.   Himmelstrasse # 4 16:13  |  JordanisPalestine 18/09/08
      8.   Give her a chance 17:00  |  PlanoStu 18/09/08
      9.   Narrow win? Coalition problems? Rats jumping the sinking ship? 17:03  |  bat yam 18/09/08
      10.   The Elections Were A Sham On All Israelis 18:14  |  Shepherd 18/09/08
      11.   So Livni how does it feel to be elected but not by the people 18:25  |  Livni not PM 18/09/08
      12.   4# THE END 18:36  |  mike 18/09/08
      13.   Tzipi does not have a mandate to be PM 18:40  |  observer 18/09/08
      14.   Population is 7,112,359 but only 40,000 voted 18:44  |  Shepherd 18/09/08
      15.   Democracy in Action ...Do the Math... 18:58  |  Henry 18/09/08
      16.   Netanyahu 19:05  |  rm 18/09/08
      17.   "Anyone who fears the people`s choice is not fit to lead..." 19:15  |  bat yam 18/09/08
      18.   not true of parliaments 19:15  |  Shelley 18/09/08
      19.   Livni is ready and should now form opposition 19:17  |  Sal 18/09/08
      20.   Netanyahu is right about Election 19:23  |  Brod 18/09/08
      21.   Israeli George W. 19:36  |  Baz Mann 18/09/08
      22.   #13 is correct, This election is not valid, Livni never got 40% 20:02  |  Dish It Out 18/09/08
      23.   Livini has not yet failed 20:06  |  Mark Lincoln 18/09/08
      24.   Shas should be demanding New General Elections 20:08  |  Kipperraes 18/09/08
      25.   We can`t permit this banana republic farce. 20:33  |  Chaim 18/09/08
      26.   Netanyahu Is 100% Correct Livni Was Was Not Elected By The People 20:45  |  Election Fraud 18/09/08
      27.   All citizens must decide. 21:10  |  Dudka 18/09/08
      28.   # 23 Mark Lincoln - Enough of UNELECTED Leaders 21:43  |  Dagma 18/09/08
      29.   pretty funny 22:49  |  Mike 18/09/08
      30.   Livni is NOT for Israel today! 22:51  |  The Threadmill 18/09/08
      31.   Is this a victory? 22:53  |  Lea de Lange 18/09/08
      32.   What a farce. 40,000 decide for 7.1 million. 22:55  |  leo 18/09/08
      33.   Netanyahu will win election 00:00  |  rich 19/09/08
      34.   Bibi is a loser. 01:24  |  Fadi Hirz. 19/09/08
      35.   to Leo 01:43  |  Shelley 19/09/08
      36.   Elections or Peace 02:31  |  Abbie Lipschutz 19/09/08
      37.   #35 Shelly 04:23  |  Livni did not win 19/09/08
      38.   Dagma 05:14  |  Mark Lincoln 19/09/08
      39.   This time, Bibi`s spin is irrefutable though. 06:56  |  Fortuna Benmayor 19/09/08
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