MK Shaul Mofaz has announced he plans to make a bid for the Kadima Party leadership slot, insisting he will not be breaking away with supporters to form a new party, but committed to leading Kadima in the direction he feels appropriate.

Speaking to Israel’s Channel 2, Mofaz commented on the bill dubbed the Mofaz Law, stating he is not seeking to break away, blaming party leader Tzipi Livni of being “the one” who is dividing the party. He also blames Livni for attaching his name to the bill to discredit him among party members. “Bibi wants to bring me in and Livni wants to topple Bibi. I am not in either of these places”.

He stressed that the moment Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu expressed his acceptance of the two-state solution; Kadima should have acted to join the coalition. “I do not see a faction [within Kadima] that wishes to break away. In the moment of truth, there will be a vote and a decision will be made”.

It appears that the so-called Mofaz Bill will not come for its final vote before Knesset by the end of the summer session, which is the end of July. At present, the Knesset is busy with budgetary matters and the Mofaz Bill will not be addressed until after the 20th of the month. It appears that the bill will be pushed off to the winter session.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)