By GIL STERN STERN HOFFMANyisrael katz 248 88(photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
1) Will the Likud under your leadership seek a coalition with Kadima?
The Likud under me will form the government and accept any party that accepts our principles on diplomatic, security and socioeconomic issues and matters of religion and state. They would also have to agree to support holding a referendum before territorial concessions and removing settlements. This is a red line for me.
2) If you win, will you try to build a bloc to run together with other parties on a joint list?
No, there is not enough time. But after the elections, I will ask the Right-wing and religious parties to ask PresidentMoshe Katsav to allow me to form the next government. I am the only candidate in the race who would receive the support from all the parties in the Right-wing and Religious bloc. Shas won't recommend to Katsav to ask Netanyahu to form the government because of his economic policies. The Right won't recommend Mofaz or Silvan because they supported disengagement. Peretz and Sharon won't recommend each other. So even if the Likud under me finished second in the race, I believe Katsav will ask me to form the government. The size of the bloc is what matters.
3) What separates the Likud under your leadership from Kadima on one side and the National Union on the other?
What separates me from Kadima is that when going to peace, I will maintain Israel's security and I will not make concessions to Palestinian terror. There will be no unilateral withdrawals of territory or settlements. On matters of religion and state, the Likud will be very different from Kadima. Shinui founder Uriel Reichman is its candidate for Education Minister. He is against Jewish education and I am in favor of it. As for the National Union, I am against toppling Likud governments by the Right. I am for working within the framework, because that's the way to achieve more. There are tactical compromises that have to be made in Israeli politics while maintaining ideological principles. The National Union does not know how to compromise tactically.
4) Would you be willing to make territorial concessions in Judea, Samaria, the Jordan Valley or the Golan Heights in return for an agreement with the Palestinians for real peace?
I am for maintaining Jewish settlements. I am against removing settlements and ways have to be found to keep the settlements. I oppose withdrawals in the Golan, Jordan Valley and the West Bank.
5) Would you commit yourself to bringing future territorial concessions to a national referendum?
I tried asking Sharon to accept a referendum when he was in the Likud. This has to be the basis for a future Likud government.
