Mofaz loyalist asks Peres to delay Livni appointment, consoles and praises Olmert on his resignation.
By GIL STERN STERN HOFFMANdalia itzik 224.88(photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
Efforts to persuade Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz to reverse his decision to quit politics continued full force Monday as Knesset Speaker Dalia Itzik called Mofaz from New York and spoke to him for an hour.
Itzik became the latest in a long series of Kadima officials who have spoken to Mofaz since his announcement last Thursday that he was "taking a break from politics." Itzik also reportedly joined efforts to convince Mofaz to meet with his nemesis, new Kadima leader Tzipi Livni.
"Shaul, you have to stay," Itzik told Mofaz. "Kadima and the state of Israel cannot be allowed to lose someone of your skills, experience and hard work. Change your mind. Take an active part in forming a government and stand with Livni."
Kadima officials who have spoken to Mofaz have offered him Livni's current titles of vice prime minister and foreign minister. He has also been mentioned as a candidate for finance minister if Ronnie Bar-On is promoted to Livni's position.
Mofaz's spokeswoman declined comment, saying: "When we have what to say, we will say it. Until then we are on vacation."
Itzik called Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to console him about his resignation. Itzik praised Olmert for resigning in a statesmanlike manner while maintaining his dignity.
The Knesset speaker also received an update from Livni on her efforts to form a new government and congratulated her on President Shimon Peres's decision to entrust her with that task.
Mofaz loyalist Ze'ev Elkin sent a letter to Peres asking him to delay his appointment of Livni to form a government until after an internal Kadima court ruled on his request for an investigation into last Wednesday's primary and a recount of the votes.
Elkin, who was the only Kadima MK who voted against Peres in the race for president, slammed him for appointing Livni despite his letter. He said he wasn't surprised, because the same campaign team that had worked for Peres's election worked for Livni in the Kadima race.
"I am very sorry that Peres hurried to appoint Livni when there is an open court case that has a very strong basis," Elkin said. "He had a week by law to make the appointment. If he ends up having to appoint someone else later, the institution of the presidency will have been shamed. I hoped he would decide not to embarrass the presidency, but I guess he couldn't wait."
Elkin asked the Kadima court for an injunction to block Livni from acting upon the result of the race. If the internal court does not respond by Tuesday, he intends to request the injunction from the Petah Tikva District Court.
Meanwhile, in an attempt to prevent another top Kadima figure from following in Mofaz's footsteps out of politics, Livni met for an hour and 15 minutes on Monday morning with Vice Premier Haim Ramon. Both sides declined to comment on the content of the meeting. But a Kadima official said it was likely that Livni spoke to Ramon about the possibility of appointing him to replace her as the head of the Israeli negotiating team with the Palestinians.
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