The Movement Party leader Tzipi Livni was interviewed on Galei Yisrael, addressing a number of issues.

YWN-ISRAEL:

Regarding the Shomron city of Ariel, upon which there is a consensus regarding its remaining under Israeli sovereignty in any agreement with the PA, Livni says that while she does not believe he is doing so intentionally, PM Netanyahu’s actions and policies may place even Ariel in danger. She states that under her coalition there would be fewer communities uprooted than under another administration of PM Netanyahu.

Regarding the PA (Palestinian Authority) diplomatic process, she speaks of the negotiations she participated in and the PA’s willingness to a state without land contiguity, but in the past four years, the Netanyahu administration has done considerable damage. Now she points out, the PA is calling for a state based on the pre-June 1967 boundaries.

Galei Yisrael:

Do you support uprooting yishuvim as part of an agreement with the PA?

Livni:

I was in negotiations with the PA and my goal was to leave a maximum number of Israelis in their homes. All my actions are compelled by my mission, to preserve our nation as a Jewish democratic country. We will lose this based on the actions of the current administration. Perhaps there will only be one nation between the Mediterranean and the Jordan, but it will lose its Jewish majority.

Galei Yisrael:

How many tens of thousands of residents of yishuvim will be ousted?

Livni:

I am doing my utmost to minimize that number and that will be in writing in any and all coalition agreements. At the end of the day there will be an agreement and it will compel some different realities. Those wishing to remain where they are and accept PA citizenship may do so but neither side favors such a move. Those living outside the settlement blocs will have to leave their homes because there will be an agreement compelling this.

I grew up on the hashkafa of a Greater Eretz Yisrael but to keep the Jewish state there are compelling realities and we must act in line with these realities.

Galei Yisrael:

Even your former colleague Ehud Olmert does not support your bid, one who speaks your language yet he does not call to vote for you.

Livni:

This is a different matter entirely. There are personal issues involved as well. Even when he was prime minister I did not agree with all his policies vis-à-vis the talks between Israel and the PA.

Galei Yisrael:

What about the dati leumi members on your list like Elazar Stern? Do you see the ‘Bennett effect’ as a positive or worrisome trend?

Livni:

I was both in Betar and Bnei Akiva, both religious, and I maintain a traditional lifestyle too by the way. I do attend shul on Yomim Tovim and for Yizchor. We all fast and go to shul on Yom Kippur and eat properly on Pesach. I am vegetarian but nevertheless keep kosher. I don’t need a Badatz hechsher however but I would never touch seafood. On a personal note, Jewish tradition is very important for me. I don’t say this to attract voters, but because it is important to me as a person and this is how I raised my children.

I think it is important to keep the tradition. I don’t want to see a generation growing up in Tel Aviv that believes we were liberated from Egypt, driving out on bicycles on Yom Kippur.

I am worried. The Bennett story that concerns me is not him as a person, but members of the list, those connected to extremist rabbonim like those who published the Toras HaMelech book and those supporting actions against Arabs. I am concerned over his list members that envision changing the Jewish State to a state run by Halacha.

Galei Yisrael:

Let’s return to the religious Zionists, for earlier you said they concern you. This is what you see? Bennett seems different. Would you agree?

Livni:

He is fine. My son and he served in the paratroops together and are friends but one must remember that even as soldiers these guys believe they must protect Yehuda and Shomron, to maintain it, not like the dati leumi community that maintains tradition, but more from the extremist sense. To me, this is not Yiddishkheit. It is about those who work for the Jewish democratic state and those who seek to turn it into a state of Halacha. This does concern me.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)