(JPOST, Ynet).The bad blood between Kadima leader Tzipi Livni and MK Shaul Mofaz showed no signs of abating on Monday as the party No. 2 accused the chairwoman of "damaging" the party and the country by not joining the coalition.
"Livni didn't consult with any of the senior members of Kadima when she decided not to join the government," he said during a faction meeting.
"Livni was offered the positions of acting prime minister, defense minister, foreign minister and Knesset speaker," he said. "Kadima could have been a leading part of the government, but instead it is a party in the opposition and does not advance any serious issue."
During the meeting, Aflalo blasted Livni, exclaiming, "I don't trust you and I have many doubts about your leadership."
Speaking at a special press briefing at the Knesset following a faction meeting, Mofaz said that "the State is suffering because Kadima is not in the government. Kadima is also suffering, as are the faction members who have no influence. This is not her movement, this is not my movement, and this is not anyone's movement. The situation in Kadima is that the mechanism is a black box and the party's code is Draconian.
"When I see the damage she caused to the State and to Kadima, I can't sit still. I can't see her causing damage and sit still," he added.
"If Livni wants credit, I told her, 'Go ahead, receive the credit from Kadima's members," said MK Mofaz, who has been trying to promote primary elections in his party in the near future, despite Livni's objection.
"I am democratically challenging (Livni's leadership), and I want it to happen within three months. I said that I demand an answer," he stated.
"After Kadima got 28 Knesset seats and had a chance to form a government, no one knew what Bibi (Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu) offered her. We never heard what he offered her. Today we know that he offered many positions. She rejected all of that. Kadima could have been a key part of this government today. This created a situation of distrust in her leadership," Mofaz added.
Kadima's No. 2 went on to attack Livni for failing to make decisions without consulting her advisors. He said that during the faction meeting, when she was asked about the primaries issue, "she didn't know how to respond at first, and then she was told to 'put it up for a vote immediately.' She sent an SMS and kept turning her phone to see the answer. Then, when the answer came, she said, 'Now we will vote on it.' She was suddenly so determined, because someone must have told her what to do."
Mofaz slammed what he referred to as Livni's "lack of leadership", claiming that her advisors were the ones making the decisions for Kadima.
"I fear for the next decision. No one in Kadima's top brass was part of the key decision making, including in the latest incident. We did not take part. If there are no primaries I don’t know what will happen. With every day that passes without a credit for her leadership, damage is caused."
He also addressed claims he had made recently about actions "bordering criminal offenses" in Kadima. "Her spokespeople said that if I have any claims I should turn to the police. I am not going to complain about the primaries. I am talking about irregularities on the municipal level, which are being checked by the state comptroller. There is a deficit of millions of shekels. If she wants me to go to the police, I'll go to the police."
"Livni didn't consult with any of the senior members of Kadima when she decided not to join the government," he said during a faction meeting.
"Livni was offered the positions of acting prime minister, defense minister, foreign minister and Knesset speaker," he said. "Kadima could have been a leading part of the government, but instead it is a party in the opposition and does not advance any serious issue."
During the meeting, Aflalo blasted Livni, exclaiming, "I don't trust you and I have many doubts about your leadership."
Speaking at a special press briefing at the Knesset following a faction meeting, Mofaz said that "the State is suffering because Kadima is not in the government. Kadima is also suffering, as are the faction members who have no influence. This is not her movement, this is not my movement, and this is not anyone's movement. The situation in Kadima is that the mechanism is a black box and the party's code is Draconian.
"When I see the damage she caused to the State and to Kadima, I can't sit still. I can't see her causing damage and sit still," he added.
"If Livni wants credit, I told her, 'Go ahead, receive the credit from Kadima's members," said MK Mofaz, who has been trying to promote primary elections in his party in the near future, despite Livni's objection.
"I am democratically challenging (Livni's leadership), and I want it to happen within three months. I said that I demand an answer," he stated.
"After Kadima got 28 Knesset seats and had a chance to form a government, no one knew what Bibi (Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu) offered her. We never heard what he offered her. Today we know that he offered many positions. She rejected all of that. Kadima could have been a key part of this government today. This created a situation of distrust in her leadership," Mofaz added.
Kadima's No. 2 went on to attack Livni for failing to make decisions without consulting her advisors. He said that during the faction meeting, when she was asked about the primaries issue, "she didn't know how to respond at first, and then she was told to 'put it up for a vote immediately.' She sent an SMS and kept turning her phone to see the answer. Then, when the answer came, she said, 'Now we will vote on it.' She was suddenly so determined, because someone must have told her what to do."
Mofaz slammed what he referred to as Livni's "lack of leadership", claiming that her advisors were the ones making the decisions for Kadima.
"I fear for the next decision. No one in Kadima's top brass was part of the key decision making, including in the latest incident. We did not take part. If there are no primaries I don’t know what will happen. With every day that passes without a credit for her leadership, damage is caused."
He also addressed claims he had made recently about actions "bordering criminal offenses" in Kadima. "Her spokespeople said that if I have any claims I should turn to the police. I am not going to complain about the primaries. I am talking about irregularities on the municipal level, which are being checked by the state comptroller. There is a deficit of millions of shekels. If she wants me to go to the police, I'll go to the police."
