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Last update - 22:20 31/03/2009
Livni: New government is bad for Israel
By Haaretz Service
Tags: israel news, kadima 

Opposition leader Tzipi Livni on Tuesday wished success to the incoming coalition as it prepared to be sworn in at the Knesset in Jerusalem, but quickly added that the deal under which the government had been assembled would "not benefit the state at all."

Livni, who lost out on the opportunity to form the new government despite her Kadima party's slim win in the February elections, told lawmakers on Tuesday that the opposition under her leadership would act responsibly.

"I would like to see new government succeed," Livni said, as she took the podium following incoming Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's address.
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Her speech was heaped with criticism of Israel's 32nd government, though, calling the coalition deal "a shame to the Knesset."

Livni also blasted the "enormous" size of the cabinet, which will comprise 30 ministers and seven deputy ministers.

"The honorable prime minister-designate, the skinny man who is getting skinnier every day," Livni said, alluding to Netanyahu's feted metaphor of the private sector struggling to support the wasteful public sector. "On this thin man's shoulders you have now dumped this bloated government, filled with ministers of nothing, deputy ministers of nothings, and all sorts of other ridiculous titles," she said.

"A big and lavish cabinet is wrong at a time of economic constraints," said Livni, adding that "the public will have to carry the enormous weight of a bloated cabinet."

"Kadima will continue to be alternative to government," she vowed. "If [we] had joined the government, we would have buried hope." Livni pledged that her opposition would work to bring the public's faith back to the Knesset.

She also took the opportunity to lambaste Labor Party Chairman Ehud Barak, who chose to join Netanyahu's government despite the latter's right-wing stance.

"Ehud Barak is committing personal fraud by exploting his political connections," she said.

In response, Barak's office called Livni's "embarrassing statements... proof of her losing control."

"The extent of her frustration is not a justification to say these things in the name of a 'more ethical politics,'" Barak's associates said. "Ms. Livni should put her own house in order, and scrutinize the conduct of Kadima members, before giving lessons to others."

"Livni should invest her energies in parliamentary motions instead of baseless and reckless accusations," they concluded.

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      1.   What motivates such delusion 19:02  |  Miriam 31/03/09
      2.   Livni is singing the tune of the dark forces 19:10  |  Brod 31/03/09
      3.   Be quiet. Remember how John McCain reacted to Obama!! 19:15  |  Jewish State 31/03/09
      4.   Be quiet Livni, Kadima had it`s chance and look where it got us! 19:42  |  Emanuel 31/03/09
      5.   tzipi 19:44  |  caroline 31/03/09
      6.   The clairvoyant who hates to read the past ! 19:52  |  Akram Zekaria 31/03/09
      7.   all for one, and one for all 19:54  |  David K 31/03/09
      8.   to Jewish State 19:54  |  Dov 31/03/09
      9.   Livni; New govt bad for Israel 19:57  |  Jack Cohen 31/03/09
      10.   New government is bad for Israel 20:00  |  Joshua 31/03/09
      11.   The image is a bad one 20:19  |  American 31/03/09
      12.   Livni answear 20:41  |  jorge grosz 31/03/09
      13.   What a sore loser. 20:41  |  4:20 31/03/09
      14.   #3. Jewish State. Tzipi did NOT lost to Bibi. 20:43  |  Centre P. 31/03/09
      15.   To #8 - Majority? 20:45  |  Mordechai 31/03/09
      16.   Left lost for the first time, but can they handle this? 20:48  |  shlomo 31/03/09
      17.   Che faro senza Euridice ... 21:28  |  17 31/03/09
      18.   Personal ambition clouds the truth 21:35  |  Natallie Durson 31/03/09
      19.   Stop whining Livni 21:54  |  Malone 31/03/09
      20.   I wish Livni would shut up. Give us a minute please 22:08  |  Jo 31/03/09
      21.   Livni If you have nothing nice to say then, don`t say anything 22:37  |  Magna 31/03/09
      22.   Livni`s ego has got so big her party is sinking under the weight 22:46  |  Realist 31/03/09
      23.   Kadima had its opportunity 23:03  |  Christopher 31/03/09
      24.   Livni is the real "shame to the Knesset"... 23:10  |  bat yam 31/03/09
      25.   time to reform the electoral system in Israel 03:25  |  richelle 01/04/09
      26.   David K. you`re right she`s gonna regret that. She`s petty, not 12:49  |  petra 03/04/09
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