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MK Tzachi Hanegbi. (Dan Keinan) Last update - 08:21 04/06/2008 Kadima leaders jostle to find date for primary; Hanegbi eyes Sept. By Mazal Mualem Tags: Israel, Livni, Mofaz, Kadima MK Tzachi Hanegbi, who heads Kadima's party affairs committee, is working on finding a compromise date for the party's primary. Deciding on a date is one of the first steps in moving up the internal election, a move Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was forced to agree to amid the latest corruption investigation against him. Hanegbi is in talks with the four contenders for the Kadima leadership - Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz, Interior Minister Meir Sheetrit and Public Security Minister Avi Dichter - and is set to meet with their representatives today to settle on a date. Mofaz, who has already discussed the matter with Hanegbi, wants to hold the primary at the beginning of September, while Livni wants to hold it even earlier. Advertisement The party affairs committee will also have to decide whether, after a new Kadima leader is elected, Olmert will be allowed to continue serving as prime minister until the general elections or will have to step down and make way for his replacement. The Kadima regulations, which were written for party founder Ariel Sharon after he split off from Likud in 2005, does not provide explicit instructions, and in effect does not allow the party chairman to be dismissed. The regulations state that the Kadima primary will be held ahead of general elections or if the party chairman resigns or cannot serve in his post for other reasons. The discussions on the primary's procedures and the four candidates' preparations for a primary indicate that even though no date has been set, Kadima is already in the thick of an election campaign. Mofaz kicked off his efforts yesterday with a visit to the Golan Heights, where he said that "the Syrians are not currently ready for peace" and warned against giving up the Golan. He appears to be setting himself up as the representative of Kadima's right wing, to distinguish himself from Livni, his main opponent. Mofaz, who is trying to arrange the infrastructure for an alternative government that would include Shas, is also using comments about the Golan to send a message to the religious, Sephardi party, which opposes withdrawing from the Golan. "The renewal of peace talks with Syria is important, but the distance between talking and conceding is very large," Mofaz said. "Peace is built gradually, and you don't run amok every time the Syrians express a desire for peace talks. "The Golan has been and will be a part of the State of Israel, and this must be said clearly and decisively so that it will be understood by our enemies as well." Labor Party ministers slammed Mofaz and said he was damaging negotiations with Syria, and embarrassing the Turkish mediators and the prime minister, all in the name of the primary. As Mofaz was visiting the Golan Heights yesterday, Sheetrit met with Kadima activists in the South, Dichter met with activists in Afula, and Livni met with Knesset members. Bookmark to del.icio.us   A staunch ally Obama to AIPAC: I'll do everything to prevent Iran from obtaining nukes. Pro-Israel Nazis German group condemns anti-Semitism, says Holocaust 'unjustifiable.'   1.   Hanegbi even worse than Olmert 09:05  |  SJ 04/06/08   2.   Re SJ #1... be assured, the least of his "deeds".... 10:51  |  Esther 04/06/08   3.   Olmert 21:53  |  tellhimnow 04/06/08   4.   Dissolving Kadima back into its components 11:29  |  Rowan 05/06/08

Read & React Obama tells AIPAC: Jerusalem will remain Israel's undivided capital Responses: 59 Olmert: We're close to stopping Iran's nuclear program Responses: 16 U.S. Arabs irate over criticism of celebrity cook's kaffiyeh Responses: 16 Palestinian negotiator: Only miracle can bring peace by year's end Responses: 85 Obama to AIPAC: I'll do everything to prevent Iran from obtaining nukes Responses: 198 Rosner's Domain Americans want talks with Iranian leadership (WTR) Obama leads in Lieberman land (WTR) McCain has been hammering at Obama Guest: Why educate child as Jew when he is not Jewish? Poll: What political option is better for Israel? More Headlines 10:55 Olmert: We're close to ending Iran's nuclear program 10:07 Obama to AIPAC: Jerusalem will remain Israel's undivided capital 03:28 Rosner's Domain / It's Obama's good intentions for Israel that AIPAC fears 11:19 Interpol suspects Brazilian Jewish community hid rabbi wanted for child abuse 11:08 U.S. Arabs irate over criticism of celebrity cook's kaffiyeh 11:36 Rights groups petition building of new homes in Ofra settlement 10:47 Secular Israelis wary of impact of non-Jewish olim 11:34 Only 80 yeshiva students opted for national service in past year 10:08 Al Qaida No. 2 slams Egypt for sealing border to Palestinians 02:13 Top Kadima players stymie move to hold primaries 04:01 Hebron settlers seek to join leftists' petition 08:26 Bnei Brak teens accused of raping younger sisters 04:14 New plan to offer tax breaks to Western immigrants Previous Editions Select Day 04 jun 03 jun 02 jun 01 jun 30 may 29 may 28 may 27 may 26 may 25 may 23 may 22 may

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