In a live media event aired by Israel Radio and TV, Tzipi Livni, the ousted leader of the Kadima Party and a former foreign minister announced her return to the political arena, to head a new party. The announcement was made on Tuesday 13 Kislev 5773, shortly after noon.

Livni’s new party will receive 14-16 votes according to a Maariv report. The new party is called “The Movement” headed by Tzipi Livni.

Kadima MKs who signal they are leaving Kadima for Livni’s new party include Meir Sheetrit, Yoel Hasson, Shlomo Molla, Robert Tiviaev, Rachel Adatto, Orit Zuaritz and Majallie Whbee.

Polls show her return will deliver a major blow to Yair Lapid and his Yesh Atid Party. Lapid is down in the polls, showing clearly that Livni replaces Lapid as the popular voice of the centrist community. In addition, Kadima lost additional support and it unlikely to earn enough votes to enter Knesset. The Kadima voters apparently prefer to move to Lapid, Livni or the Labor Party.

According to a new poll the joint Likud/ Yisrael Beitenu slate earns 37 votes, unchanged from a previous Magar Mochot poll. This latest poll was commissioned by Channel 10.

The poll shows the second largest party will be Labor, with 20 seats, followed by Shas (14) and Yahadut HaTorah (9). The poll shows that with Livni in the ring, Yesh Atid is down to 5 seats, a major drop from 15 seats about a month ago.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)