Looking ahead to the day after the general election, premiership hopeful Binyamin Netanyahu views the Kadima party falling apart relatively rapidly as an opposition party.
Speaking publicly, Netanyahu has stated on numerous occasions that he will worked towards forming a broad-based national unity government but in private talks, he indicated he plans to leave Kadima out in the cold, not including the now-ruling party in the coalition. He feels that a short time later, Kadima will dissolve or break apart from within as an opposition party.
A senior unnamed Likud election official quoted in Yediot Achronot states “Bibi is seeking to bring Kadima down, to reduce it to a small insignificant party or wipe it out entirely and not to include it in a coalition government.”
The election official added Likud is not seeking a narrow government with chareidim, but does not view Kadima as a viable coalition partner.
“Livni’s attempts to portray herself as being capable of building strong relations between Israel and American President Barak Obama are ridiculous,” stated Labor Shelly Yacimovitz, adding “particularly after seeing her failed performance in the foreign arena during Operation Cast Lead”. According to Yacimovitz, the election has only two viable candidates, Netanyahu and Labor leader Defense Minister Ehud Barak.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
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4 Responses
Not a bad idea!
1. As now constructed, Kadimah will find it very traumatic to become an opposition party. It’s raison d’etre was to grab power rather than some ideology that could sustain them in opposition.
2. Ideally, Netanyahu wants the option of a “narrow” coalition with the religious right, with or without the Hareidim, and of a coalition with Labor (and perhaps the remnants of Kadimah, especially if they appear to have no future). He wants to be able to choose his partners, in order that his partners can’t dictate to him. That’s how a multiparty parliamentary system works.
He’s not alone.
It may be electioneering/posturing, but up till now Netanyahu has said he doesn’t want the [real] right wing parties in his coalition, that is, Lieberman, Ichud Leumi & Bayit Yehudi. If he’s serious, it doesn’t bode well, for it means he will probably support a “pal” state, and cave in to American & European pressure.
Only way to stop this is for everyone to vote RIGHT – Ichud Leumi, Shas, UTJ, Lieberman or Bayit Yehudi. If they have enough seats, he may have no choice!