Says he will return to work on Oct. 2, but still mulling whether to seek position in Livni-led gov't.
By TOVAH LAZAROFFMofaz prince of Persia 224.88(photo credit: AP)
Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz promised activists who had gathered in his Kochav Yair home on Thursday night to beg him to remain in office that together they would do great things for the nation, but stopped short of promising that he would remain in politics.
"I'm not leaving any one of you," Mofaz said, adding that he planned to return to work on October 2, but still needed a few more days to decide whether he would seek a political post in a new government under Kadima leader Tzipi Livni.
Since last week, when Mofaz announced that he planned to take a "break" from politics in the aftermath of his narrow loss to Livni in the Kadima leadership primary, he has kept his supporters on pins and needles with respect to his political future.
"I do not intend to make any decision today, but your presence here tonight will have an impact on my decision," Mofaz told them.
But then he added, "I haven't left for anywhere. I said a week ago in Kadima and I will continue to say it now. If a man wants to think, he can do so. At every crossroad, one has to pause and think, and that is legitimate."
Still, he said, he has not left his office at this time and was merely on vacation, albeit a limited one, since he has been in touch with his office over the phone.
"I plan to return next week to continue my work, [both] as the deputy prime minister and as the transportation minister," said Mofaz, adding that he hoped he would, in the end, make the right decision both for himself and the nation.
But party loyalists heard in his words, as they have for the last week, a promise to stay on as the number two politician in the party.
Walking out of his home, MK Ronit Tirosh said she expected Livni to meet with Mofaz in the coming days and to offer him the vice premiership.
"There is no other option, because he represents more than 50 percent of Kadima," Tirosh said.
With Mofaz at her side, Livni will be able to keep Shas in the coalition, quipped one supporter as she headed to her car.
Reporters were barred from the meeting, which was organized by Tirosh only two days ago to call on Mofaz to return to work immediately. But they could hear some of his words, which were carried outside via loudspeaker.
At the beginning of the week he submitted a formal request for a vacation until October 2, but has taken no other steps to leave office. Technically, he can't quit while there is a transitional government in place.
His loyalists have insisted all along that he had no intention of quitting. But Yair Olmert, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's cousin, told The Jerusalem Post that while he remained hopeful that Mofaz would indeed stay, the minister had said that he needed a few more days to decide his political fate.
After 42 years of service, Mofaz said he was at a crossroads in his life, and was still contemplating his future, said Olmert. "He asked for a few more days to choose his path forward."
Olmert said he had hoped that Mofaz would have already announced his intention to remain one of the party leaders.
"But the situation is also dependent on Livni," said Olmert. She now needs to make a gesture to Mofaz, to sway him to remain, he added.
What was clear is that he intended to remain in Kadima and that he affirmed that the party's leader is now Livni.
Unlike MK Ze'ev Elkin, who is contesting Livni's 431-vote win based on the large number of voting improprieties, Mofaz has no interest in appealing the decision, Olmert said.
He said as much last week, said Olmert, and his statement tonight marks the second time he has said that he accepts the election result and recognizes Livni as the party's leader.
Mofaz said that service to the party and to the country was important to him, said Olmert, who added that he, along with other activists, were now calling on Livni to ensure that Mofaz is her right-hand man.
Standing outside Mofaz's home, smoking a cigarette, one activists said, "It's a shame, he would have made a great prime minister."
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