Livni addresses gender, Likud in T.A. college speech

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Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni devoted much of her speech Thursday at the Tel Aviv Academic College to gender issues, but also took aim at her leading rival for the prime minister's office, Benjamin Netanyahu.

"There's a twisted logic, which says that defense issues belong to men," Kadima's candidate for the prime minister's seat told a crowd of 270 students. "But decision making is connected to one's ability to analyze the existing situation, to look ahead, to ask the chief of staff what needs to be done, to hear more opinions, to get the support of the world and to then make the decision."

"No man, including any general, has an advantage over me in this process," she said, adding that when she sits down with the prime and defense ministers, she makes decisions - "and not coffee."

In a further reference to gender issues, Livini said, "I went into politics, because of my involvement in diplomacy and regional issues. Women's rights was not my driving force."

"Having said that," she added, "I did act to increase the level of representation of women on the boards of financial companies and to gain equal pay for female government employees."

On this issue, Livni also noted that she appointed women to senior positions and "supported the bills of several legislators" on gender equality.

Livni devoted most of her speech, however, to how different Kadima was from Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud. "Some people say that there's no use voting, because it will only put a manipulating dealmaker in power, anyway. I am not prepared to accept that," she said. "People who think this are in a state of despair, and I want to put people like that in a state of hope."

Turning to regional matters, Livni advocated a "relentless fight" against terrorists, while moving forward with the peace process. "Peace is an Israeli interest," she said. "A person who perceives peace as a threat, should not be Israel's prime minister."

She also added she believes in a two-state solution, "which means that no refugee will enter Israeli territory."