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Last update - 09:38 26/05/2008 In the battle for Kadima, Mofaz to target Livni By Mazal Mualem Tags: shaul mofaz  Transport Minister Shaul Mofaz is pushing for Kadima to hold a primary when the time comes, as he jockeys for position in the party against Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni during Ehud Olmert's legal troubles. "We have over 60,000 members who are expecting to take part in the democratic process," Mofaz said recently at a rally. Mofaz and Livni's struggle has heated up since Prime Minister Olmert announced that if indicted in the latest corruption investigation, he would resign. Mofaz is careful to speak up for Olmert at rallies, differentiating himself from Livni, whose silence is perceived as undermining the premier. Mofaz wants to prevent Livni from taking the choice of Olmert's successor to Kadima's Knesset faction or the Kadima party council, and so a primary, which is stipulated in the party's charter, is important to him. Advertisement Olmert's associates in Kadima vehemently deny that if Olmert declares himself incapacitated it would pave the way for Livni to head the party and take the premiership. "Olmert despises Livni so much and is so angry at her that if he has to take action, he will see to it that Livni won't enjoy the situation," a source said. Interior Minister Meir Sheetrit is also preparing to run in the Kadima primary and he, like Livni and Mofaz, has started a quiet campaign. Livni is leading in the opinion polls, and Mofaz sees her as his main challenge for the party leadership. Mofaz will be holding two rallies this week, in Haifa and Petah Tikva. Some MKs and Kadima ministers said they had been approached to have meetings with Mofaz, where they would be called on for support. Mofaz reportedly believes he can beat Livni in the primary, despite her head start in the polls, because his supporters have been running a major membership drive for the party over the past two weeks. Mofaz also believes that most of the mayors who support Olmert will transfer their support to Mofaz if Olmert has to resign. Over the past two years, Mofaz has met with more than 150 mayors and maintains close contact with them. Mofaz is being careful not to attack Livni publicly, although his opinion of her is known to be low. His aides say his campaign against Livni will be based on presenting himself as a center-right candidate, while painting Livni as the party's far left. The real threat is Likud chairman Benjamin Netanyahu, and only Mofaz can give him a fight, his supporters in the party say. "Tzipi Livni is leading in the polls because she isn't saying anything," a Mofaz supporter said. "There is a gap between what the public thinks of her and what we in Kadima think. When she starts talking she will strike out." Mofaz supporters also say that when they ask themselves who they would like to see leading the country in the next war, the answer is clear - Mofaz. Supporters also say Mofaz would be able to establish a government with Shas and Yisrael Beiteinu, avoiding early elections, and Livni cannot. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Nuclear allegation Jimmy Carter says Israel has arsenal of 150 nuclear weapons. On penalty of death Rightist MK Eldad says those who give away Israeli land should get death penalty.   1.   Oye vey Mofaz... 08:28  |  Esther 26/05/08   2.   How each of them passes the time... 08:38  |  Esther 26/05/08   3.   #1,2 , Esther 10:22  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 26/05/08   4.   60,000 idiots is it possible ? 10:48  |  victor hardman 26/05/08   5.   what about the good of the country? 11:10  |  Yaacov 26/05/08   6.   Re Cipora #3 13:00  |  Esther 26/05/08   7.   Yaakov #5... you need to learn more about Livni... 13:02  |  Esther 26/05/08   8.   Linvi & Olmert must both resign they are defeatists 16:28  |  Sam 26/05/08   9.   Kadima "Party" is No Party 19:23  |  Ovadiah ben Avraham 26/05/08   10.   Both Would Be Disastrous 21:25  |  Tod Zuckerman 26/05/08   11.   Leadership 07:12  |  mike 27/05/08

Read & React Carter says Israel has 150 nuclear weapons Responses: 454 Sources: Israel, Hezbollah strike prisoner swap deal Responses: 65 U.S. professor gives Israeli prize money to Palestinian university Responses: 164 Palestinians reject Israeli offer to hand over 91.5% of W. Bank Responses: 192 Analysis / Price of quiet in Lebanon is Hezbollah in power Responses: 52 Rosner's Domain Rosner's Guest: Jeremy Ben-Ami, the co-founder of J Street Explaining Hagee's Holocaust remarks Poll: Peace between Israel & Syria? Should American Jews Embrace Living Double Lives? Rosner's Guests: can "decisive victory" against guerilla achieved? More Headlines 00:27 Sources: Israel, Hezbollah strike prisoner swap deal 05:23 Nasrallah's speech / Preparing Kuntar's 'homecoming' 05:33 Key witness Talansky slated to begin deposition in Olmert case 05:48 IAEA: Iran still holding back information about nuclear research 06:00 Israeli source: PA security forces have improved dramatically in West Bank 02:52 Monument to gay victims of the Nazis to be unveiled in Berlin 22:20 Defense officials: Anti-rocket system to be ready to test this year 02:46 Abducted soldiers' families skeptical about Lebanese reports of swap deal 02:47 Arab children nearly 3 times more likely to die in accident 02:44 Israel Police: Only one out of every 100 thieves is indicted 05:56 Justice minister blasts 'publicity hungry' Supreme Court 04:39 Shas threatens to bolt gov't over child welfare payments Previous Editions Select Day 26 may 25 may 23 may 22 may 21 may 20 may 19 may 18 may 16 may 15 may 14 may 13 may

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