Netanyahu courts Kadima, with or without Livni

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a regularly scheduled update with opposition head MK Tzipi Livni (Kadima) on Monday. Procedure dictates the meeting take place once a month. The 45-minute meet, also attended by the prime minister's military secretary Maj. Gen. Meir Klifi, did not include political discussion, although Netanyahu has not given up on his plan to have Kadima join the government "as one piece or in parts."

Netanyahu does not have a diplomatic plan to show Livni, which would predicate an invitation to join his government. He also has no positions to offer her as long as Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman and his ministers are part of the government.

Livni continues to maintain her strategic decision of remaining in the opposition, from which she believes she will be able to capture the premiership. Recent internal Kadima polls reportedly support her decision.

However, Livni's number two, MK Shaul Mofaz, is working openly to create conditions to join the cabinet. Netanyahu believes that when the time is ripe, Mofaz will be able to lead a rebellion in Kadima and demand that the party join the coalition.

Mofaz, seemingly recovered from the shock of finding himself in the opposition, has gone back to attacking Livni mercilessly, apparently hoping to bring her down from within the party.

Mofaz is also touting a diplomatic plan calling for a "Palestinian state within temporary borders, around which he claims he can unite the party."

Mofaz denies any intention of bolting Kadima, but senior Likud ministers who are in close contact with him say that if Netanyahu calls again for Kadima to join the government, Mofaz will work as hard as he can to make it happen, even if it means splitting the party.

The move would have the added benefit of acting as revenge for what he sees as Livni's stealing the party leadership from him.

Meanwhile, Netanyahu is preparing for the day Lieberman is indicted. Theoretically only Lieberman would have to resign; his ministers could remain in the cabinet. However, the prime minister knows that this is an unhealthy situation in terms of his government's stability and has therefore pushed for the so-called Mofaz bill by which seven MKs can form their own party. He believes Kadima support is the only way to bolster his coalition.

At the moment Mofaz has no camp behind him. Still, like Netanyahu, he believes a concrete offer and a diplomatic plan will draw plenty of support.

Mofaz was the subject of well-aimed barbs yesterday by outgoing MK Haim Ramon (Kadima). "Those who don't know how to be in the opposition don't come into power," Ramon warned, using Netanyahu as an example.

Ramon also told a press briefing he was a "great believer" in Kadima, which he said was solid and "in two or three years would be the largest party and return to power. Tzipi Livni will be prime minister."