Mofaz to be officially declared opposition leader

After mid-recess session, Mofaz to receive higher salary, car with driver, bodyguard, larger office and staff.

By LAHAV HARKOV
Smiling Shaul Mofaz wins Kadima primary 370 (photo credit: Marc Israel Sellem)
Smiling Shaul Mofaz wins Kadima primary 370
(photo credit: Marc Israel Sellem)
The Knesset will officially declare Shaul Mofaz the new opposition leader in a mid-recess meeting next Monday.
Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin’s office announced on Thursday that 25 MKs signed a letter requesting a plenum meeting. Kadima plans to declare Mofaz its leader officially during the meeting.
As leader of the largest opposition party, Mofaz is the automatic choice for opposition leader, unless all of the other opposition parties agree on an alternative candidate.
As new opposition leader, he will be getting quite a few perks, to which outgoing Kadima leader Tzipi Livni will have to say goodbye.
He will have monthly meetings with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on diplomatic and security matters, give speeches in the plenum immediately after Netanyahu and participate in government ceremonies with the prime minister.
His salary will increase to that of a government minister. He will also receive a car with a driver, a Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) bodyguard, a larger office in the Knesset with a conference room, a senior adviser and more assistants.
It is not against Knesset regulations for Mofaz to continue to serve as chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, and he has yet to announce whether he intends to leave the post or not.
Sources in Kadima have given mixed answers as to what Mofaz plans to do, with some saying the job will go to Kadima MK Avi Dichter in appreciation for his leaving the party leadership race and supporting Mofaz. Others say the party’s new leader will prefer to remain committee chairman and use the platform to attack Netanyahu on defense issues.