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Last update - 02:13 05/06/2008 Top Kadima players stymie move to hold primaries By Mazal Mualem, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Ehud Barak, Shaul Mofaz  Moves to hold early primaries in Kadima stalled Wednesday in the face of opposition from three of the party's four ministers contending for the party leadership. Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni was left isolated as the only one pushing for early primaries. Ministers Shaul Mofaz, Meir Sheetrit and Avi Dichter, all potential candidates for the leadership, rejected speeding up the primaries in talks with MK Tzachi Hanegbi, chairman of the party affairs committee. The three said Kadima must not cave in to the ultimatum from Labor's chair, Defense Minister Ehud Barak, who said Labor would quit the government unless Kadima acts to hold early elections. Instead they urged waiting until after Morris Talansky's cross-examination by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's attorneys. Advertisement They also said that any move to push up the primaries must be done with Olmert's agreement. Before going to the United States Olmert told Kadima ministers and MKs that Talansky's cross-examination would refute his testimony and change the political picture. "Kadima won't let anyone determine its timetable," Olmert said, referring to Barak. Barak, who assumed that his ultimatum would send Kadima spinning out of control, paving the way for Olmert's replacement during the Knesset's summer session, may find himself being dragged into early elections against his will, Kadima sources said. Unlike Livni, the three ministers believe Barak's threat is empty. In view of his poor statues in the polls, Barak is not interested in early elections, but assumed that by threatening to quit the government, he would bring about a coup in Kadima, the source said. Mofaz even accused Livni last week of conspiring with Barak to break up Kadima. Livni, however, in her talks with Kadima MKs on Wednesday, reiterated her belief that Kadima must not wait for Barak to lead Labor out of the coalition. Livni reportedly told one MK that if Kadima sets a date for primaries, Barak would back down. Hanegbi has been meeting with the four ministers privately over the last few days to ascertain their positions ahead of the meeting of the committee for party affairs next Wednesday. After hearing their views, he is now considering putting off the committee's meeting until after Talansky's cross-examination. "There is no reason to be alarmed by Barak's threats," Sheetrit told Haaretz on Wednesday. He said he did not believe Kadima would hold primaries in the near future. 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.   To primary or not to primary... 06:50  |  sandra chitayat 05/06/08   2.   primaries 11:56  |  colinc 05/06/08

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