Asks "Where is her shame? Where are her morals?"; FM slams attack as "embarrassing behavior."
By GIL STERN STERN HOFFMANmofaz says fuck 224 (photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz issued a harsh attack on his main rival for the Kadima leadership, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, on Saturday night, accusing her of not having the clean hands that are seen as her top electoral asset.
Mofaz made reference to an investigative report published in Ma'ariv on Friday that found that Livni's campaign manager, Moshe Shehori, ran her campaign out of the office of his job as director of the Fund for the Welfare of Holocaust Survivors.
The story said that to advance Livni's campaign, he used office staff, a cell phone and a car provided by the fund, which receives its budget from the government and the Claims Conference.
"It is unacceptable that the Fund for the Welfare of Holocaust Survivors is being used for election purposes," Mofaz said. "Ms. Livni herself said that she doesn't think everything that is not criminal is OK. If she talks about clean hands, she should practice what she preaches. Where is her shame? Where are her morals? Where is her responsibility?"
Mofaz noted that Livni had not taken action to remedy the situation since the article was published and said that he expected her to do so immediately.
"Not just me, but all of the Kadima members expect her to take action to stop using the fund to advance her campaign," Mofaz said. "Clean governance is important and all four candidates are obligated by it and that includes Ms. Tzipi Livni."
Sources close to Livni responded that Shehori received permission in advance from all the relevant authorities for everything he has done, and that nothing that belonged to the fund was being used to advance the campaign.
"It is embarrassing to see the behavior of Mofaz, who apparently understands that his situation is dire and is taking advantage of every opportunity that comes his way to prove it," a source close to Livni said. "We will continue to present a different kind of leadership that is upright and will restore Kadima and the country to what it is supposed to be."
Mofaz also attacked Livni on diplomatic issues, saying that "unlike some of the other candidates, I have clear opinions on every issue. I think it's important to make opinions clear. Vagueness is not leadership."
The four Kadima leadership candidates will speak together for the last time before the primary at a rally on Sunday in Holon for Kadima mayoral candidate Roy Cohen.
Mofaz reiterated his opposition to a general election.
"Whoever wants a general election does not have the best interest of the country in mind," Mofaz said. "Most people in Israel and most MKs don't want elections. It would freeze the government and prevent it from getting things done. I can form a wide coalition that will last until the term ends in November 2010."
Labor chairman Ehud Barak also made reference to the possibility of remaining in a Kadima-led government following the Kadima primary in a speech to Labor branch heads at his party's Tel Aviv headquarters on Friday.
"Labor will conduct itself responsibly and professionally regarding everything on the government's agenda," Barak said.
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