It appears that Kadima leader Shaul Mofaz is working to save what appears to be a rapidly sinking political career. A former IDF chief of staff and defense minister, Mofaz joins the many MKs who defected from Likud to Kadima, but today, many of his former allies have defected from Kadima to The Movement Party or resigned from politics, leaving him with little hope of clearing the minimum election threshold and entering the 19th Knesset.

Mofaz of late seems synonymous with targeting chareidim and their need to ‘share the burden,’ as well as a fluid hashkafa that shifts with the daily polls, an obvious effort to remain in the spotlight towards gaining a place in the next Knesset, which those polls signal is most unlikely.

Interestingly, the weekend visit to Gaza by Hamas politburo leader Khalid Meshal compelled Mofaz to release a statement to the media, and in line with his political vision, Mofaz states the visit of the terror organization’s leader is the result “of the government’s failures in Operation Pillar of Defense”. Mofaz feels the failed policies of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman have set the stage for Meshal to “dare to lift his head and visit Gaza”. Mofaz blames the lack of advancement in negotiations with PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen), explaining the result of the latter’s weakened position is a boost to Hamas and its leadership.

Mofaz warns that if the government fails to restart the diplomatic process with Abu Mazen, Hamas’ popularity will continue to increase and the terror organization that now runs Gaza will take over the PA (Palestinian Authority) autonomous areas throughout Yehuda and Shomron as well.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)