Tzipi Livni is scheduled to meet with Deputy Prime Minister Chaim Ramon on Monday is an effort to persuade him to remain active in the Kadima Party leadership.

Ramon, who during recent months did not openly endorse any of the candidates to replace Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, is expected to announce he plans to leave in the near future. Party seniors call the relationship between Ramon and Livni as “strained”. This stems partially from Livni’s comments pertaining to the court ruling in Ramon’s case of abusing a female employee. She stated just because the court did not rule his conviction carried the moral turpitude clause was not sufficient to justify his remaining in the cabinet.

While Livni is not expected to promise Ramon he will remain a deputy prime minister, she is expected to request he remain a senior Kadima member.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)