Livni rules out joining Netanyahu government

In an interview with Channel 2, Livni said that her purpose of being in politics “is not to assume any kind of ministerial position, but to pursue an ideological path.”

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Isaac Herzog (R) and Tzipi Livni, co-leaders of Zionist Union, raise their arms at party headquarters in Tel Aviv (photo credit: REUTERS)
Isaac Herzog (R) and Tzipi Livni, co-leaders of Zionist Union, raise their arms at party headquarters in Tel Aviv
(photo credit: REUTERS)
Zionist Union No. 2 Tzipi Livni vowed to remain in opposition on Saturday, ruling out entry into Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ruling coalition.
In an interview with Channel 2, Livni said that her purpose of being in politics “is not to assume any kind of ministerial position, but to pursue an ideological path.”
Livni, who served as justice minister in the previous Netanyahu administration, told Channel 2’s weekly news program Meet the Press that her party “offers a worthy alternative to the Netanyahu regime.”
“The recent elections proved just how divergent our paths are,” she said. “So I will not boost Netanyahu’s path and that of the coalition.”
Netanyahu will face no less than a “war” from the opposition to try to end his nascent government as soon as possible, the heads of the opposition said Thursday.
Zionist Union faction head Eitan Cabel, who will coordinate the efforts of the opposition factions, said he would end the practice whereby members of the coalition and opposition paired off in order to absent themselves from votes.
“Today I told the veterans to forget about the concept of pairing off and the new MKs not to learn what it is,” Cabel wrote on Twitter. “On Monday, the war to bring down Bibi [Netanyahu] begins.”
Zionist Union leader Isaac Herzog told Channel 2 Monday night that not only would he not join Netanyahu’s coalition, he believes the prime minister should return his mandate to form a government to President Reuven Rivlin.
“A coalition with 61 MKs is not a government,” he said. “It will hurt the population and waste billions. It is dangerous.”
Earlier at a Tel Aviv press conference, Herzog noted that he said from the beginning that the Zionist Union would go to the opposition and he kept his promise.