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Last update - 06:29 11/02/2009 OPINION / For the sake of peace, Labor and Kadima must merge By Aluf Benn Tags: Israel news, Israel elections  The requisite conclusion drawn from the election results is that Kadima and Labor need to merge and act as a joint faction in the 18th Knesset. Such a merger has a double logic: It would place a bloc of 40 MKs at the center of the political system, effectively becoming the central axis in any coalition constellation. It would also restore some stability to the system, currently divided among midsize parties. There is no ideological difference between Labor and Kadima that could constitute an immovable obstacle to the parties' merger. Both combine political moderation with security-minded toughness, and their participation in the Olmert government was characterized by agreement on most of the fundamental issues. The crises stemmed from a personal dispute between Ehud Barak and Ehud Olmert, not from differences of opinion. A merger would strengthen the camp that supports a division of the land and a peace deal with Syria, in contrast with the right wing, which opposes any compromise or withdrawal. As the largest parliamentary faction, the merged party would be the one to form the next government. Even if it needs right-wing parties in the coalition, it would still be a center-left government - and this is how Israel would be viewed by the rest of the world. A merger would keep the right wing from expanding the settlements, would save Israel from clashing with the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama, and would do away with the racist ideas of Avigdor Lieberman. Advertisement Kadima proved during this campaign that it is not the heir of Shinui and its predecessor, popularly known by its Hebrew acronym Dash, which burned bright for a moment and then faded. Ehud Barak's hope that Kadima would crumble and disappear has not been realized. Kadima maintained its position as the leading party of the center-left camp. With Tzipi Livni at its helm, Kadima has managed to free itself of Olmert's unpopularity and do well at the polls. Barak-led Labor, by contrast, has continued to head downhill, to the point where there is no reason for the party's separate existence. But the danger to Kadima's future, if it loses power, has yet to pass. A merged party would alleviate concerns that Kadima MKs will return to Likud and strengthen the right-wing bloc. The establishment of a large bloc in the center of the political spectrum will also help resolve the stability problem, which has intensified with the collapse of the large parties. Even before the electoral results were announced, there were calls for a change in the system of government, to assure that the government will be able to function and will not be in constant danger of collapse. One can argue over whether the American presidential system is suitable for Israel, but in any case, it will be a theoretical debate. It is almost impossible to pass government reforms in the Knesset because of the small parties' opposition, and Israel's experience with directly electing the prime minister shows it is difficult to predict the ramifications of such change. A large party built around a political concept could restore to the political system some of the stability it has lost over the past decade - without the need to change the system of government or cope with complex legislative changes. One can make several arguments against a Labor-Kadima merger, such as that it distorts the decision of the voters, who thought they were choosing between two separate parties. But it wouldn't be the first merger in the history of Israeli politics, and would be no less legitimate than its predecessors. One could also argue that not all Labor MKs would want to merge with Kadima, whose founders came from Likud. The simple answer is that whoever doesn't want to participate in the merger, in an effort to preserve the Labor Party's ideological purity, will be able to switch to Meretz and strengthen the left. That, too, has precedent (witness Yossi Sarid or Yossi Beilin). Another argument is that party mergers lead to a distortion of positions and a tilt to the center, at the price of paralyzing the political process. That may have been true in the days of Golda Meir. But it's doubtful whether it's true in 2009, when the formula for deals with Syria and the Palestinians is well-known, and when the election results require the establishment of a unity government. But the main issue that could hinder a merger between Labor and Kadima is the aspirations of the politicians. As long as they believe that keeping each party separate will get them more cabinet portfolios and more important jobs, they will refuse to cooperate as a single political entity. As long as Labor believes Kadima is liable to crumble, it would rather close a deal with Benjamin Netanyahu against their mutual rival. It's doubtful that will be good for the Labor Party, and it's clear it will be bad for the country. Israel needs a large center-left party. Bookmark to del.icio.us   How Israel voted See Israel election results by city/sector. Israeli cover girls Israeli model Bar Refaeli lands Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover.   1.   No more left ... 07:05  |  Robert 11/02/09   2.   A merger would not make both parties bigger than they are 07:12  |  Kris Lazar 11/02/09   3.   Survival under Likud 07:20  |  howiej 11/02/09   4.   The only merger to make sence would bee Labour, Kadima and Likud 07:20  |  Kris Lazar 11/02/09   5.   Merger Wouldn`t Change Size of Left-Center Bloc 07:28  |  Joshua 11/02/09   6.   But they have diagonally opposite views... 07:51  |  Esther 11/02/09   7.   Any other brilliant ideas, eh? 07:53  |  Michael N 11/02/09   8.   Forming a Government for Peace 08:12  |  PW Haggarty 11/02/09   9.   Center-Left? 08:20  |  ronnie Green 11/02/09   10.   What peace?? 08:22  |  www.kibush.co.il 11/02/09   11.   Clash away 08:55  |  FRank 11/02/09   12.   Who cares if we clash with Obama????? 09:10  |  Josh 11/02/09   13.   the short term and the long term 09:18  |  dani 11/02/09   14.   Coalition with who? 09:19  |  Ben 11/02/09   15.   Tosh 09:41  |  sh 11/02/09   16.   For the sake of sensebility 09:48  |  Harold Silver 11/02/09   17.   For the sake of Israel`s security, Likud must win 09:49  |  Stuart 11/02/09   18.   Concur with 5 - Israel Can Be Politically Dependent 09:57  |  Joshua 11/02/09   19.   The Arab will NEVER give us peace ,man. Why don`t you get it! 10:18  |  Harvey 11/02/09   20.   Another issue that vould hinder a merger 10:25  |  Yonatan 11/02/09   21.   #8 Josh and #14 Hoshua 10:31  |  Yonatan 11/02/09   22.   Security is a fantasy until Israel liquidates ALL her Settlements 10:44  |  Ivar 11/02/09   23.   No coalition with 40 seats in any case 10:57  |  Ilan 11/02/09   24.   Labor-Kadima party merger ? 12:18  |  Judah N. Wenkel 11/02/09   25.   # 12 to josh re: obama 14:25  |  eric 11/02/09   26.   Peace you call it?? 15:30  |  J.D 11/02/09   27.   Change the system 17:09  |  David 11/02/09   28.   Valid argument - a merge would be a peace bloc... 18:04  |  Smadar 11/02/09   29.   There Will be No Peace Until The Arabs Want It 18:45  |  Ovadiah ben Avraham 11/02/09   30.   Aluf Benn is only kidding of course 18:47  |  Roo 11/02/09   31.   Labor is done 21:01  |  DesMnsDave 11/02/09   32.   to #25 eric 21:21  |  Judah N. Wenkel 11/02/09   33.   Josh 21:31  |  Connie 11/02/09   34.   Ivar educate yourself. 21:59  |  Aby 11/02/09   35.   kadima will die eventualy & Labour members will return 00:52  |  zionist forever 12/02/09   36.   #8 No matter what the "new faces" in Washington 03:12  |  Ralph 12/02/09   37.   # 32 to judah re: israel (2nd try) 10:51  |  eric 13/02/09

Read & React Jimmy Carter: Include Hamas in Mideast peace talks Responses: 106 Israel: Two-thirds of Palestinians killed in Gaza fighting were terrorists Responses: 73 Hamas said ready to sign deal on Shalit release Responses: 29 'Israel and Syria were ready for direct talks before Gaza war' Responses: 28 Robert Rozett: Israel's offensive on Gaza was not 'Nazi-like' Responses: 38 Claude Kandiyoti: Boycotting Durban II would mean victory for Israel's critics Responses: 25 More Headlines 03:35 U.S., EU say prefer Kadima-Likud unity gov't 04:41 Two Israelis, 9/11 widow among dead in plane crash near Buffalo 05:10 IAF bombs Gaza Strip target, killing militant 03:36 Israel, Iran liable to clash in 2009 over nukes, U.S. intel chief said 03:38 King of comeback 23:27 U.K. anti-Semitism on the rise after Israel's Gaza operation 00:09 ADL chief: Pope Bendedict's condemnation of Holocaust denial not enough 17:37 Under a white flag, darkly 07:26 Police investigation may bar Lieberman from treasury post 10:29 ANALYSIS / Which ministerial portfolios are available to Lieberman? 16:44 14-year-old Palestinian killed by Israel Border Police in Hebron 17:55 Dutch lawmaker banned from U.K. to take anti-Koran film on 'world tour' 12:20 Hamas said ready to sign deal on Shalit release 15:03 Cyprus unloads weapons arsenal from Iran ship allegedly running arms to Hamas 10:27 Jimmy Carter: Include Hamas in Israel-Palestinian peace talks 10:54 'I was accused of being everything from Israeli spy to Hamas militant' Previous Editions Select Day 13 feb 12 feb 11 feb 10 feb 09 feb 08 feb 06 feb 05 feb 04 feb 03 feb 02 feb 01 feb

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