By all accounts, opposition leader Tzipi Livni, who heads the Kadima Party, is not likely to become the leader of Israel in her career. Now, she faces an internal war to keep her party from breaking apart, as well as a conflict surrounding the leadership of the party, with Shaul Mofaz working to usurp her authority.

As negotiations between 14 of the party’s 27 MKs are taking place, contemplating a shift from Kadima to Likud, Mofaz on Wednesday openly placed the blame in Livni’s lap, citing her “lack of leadership” for the probably party split.

On Wednesday night, the worst fears became reality, as MK Eli Aflalo announced he was indeed planning to leave Kadima, but he did not indicate if he was going to be joining Likud or seeking to start his own party.

According to the law passed this year dubbed the Mofaz Law, if 7 MKs split off from a party, they can launch their own party and they would be entitled to party funding. If this does occur, it would deliver a possibly fatal blow to Kadima, both in numbers and financing. According to a Wednesday night Channel 1 TV News report, Aflalo blames Livni for pulling Kadima too far to the left, stating she betrayed MKs and voters alike.

Analysts explains Kadima leaders will now have to define the party’s place on the political map, left or right of center, and it will no longer be permitted to continue sending an ambiguous message as it seeks to be ‘everything to everyone’.

Mofaz remains determined to win the party leadership seat from Livni, now working to move up primary elections in the hope of ousting Livni and preventing the disenchanted MKs from breaking away, aware that some of his supporters would be leaving too, most likely heading to Likud.

Gilad and Omri Sharon, sons of former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who broke away from Likud to start Kadima, have made a public appeal to the 14 not to break away and destroy the party, speaking in their father’s name.

In the meantime, life for the Kadima rebels may not be so easy. While Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu would be pleased to add 14 names to the party roster, accompanied by the budget they would bring, not all Likud officials agree, with some stating they are unwilling to open the door to permit the traitors to return home now that is serves their political ambitions.

Back to Livni, who almost became prime minister twice, once when she inherited the party leadership when Ehud Olmert was forced to step down, but she was unable to assemble a coalition, leading to elections. Kadima, under her leadership, earned the most popular votes in the general election, but once again, Livni was unable to assemble a coalition, compelled to assume the title of opposition leader. By most accounts, her days as leader of the party are indeed numbered, and perhaps, the future of Kadima may also be limited, depending on the rebel faction.

Israel Radio reported on Thursday morning that Mofaz has called for an urgent meeting with party leader Livni towards preventing the break-away from the party.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)