Peace candidate leads in Israeli vote
JERUSALEM (AP) — Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni won the Kadima Party’s primary election for its leader Wednesday, TV exit polls said, putting her in a good position to become Israel’s first female leader in 34 years and sending a message that peace talks with the Palestinians will proceed.
Cheers and applause broke out at party headquarters when Israel’s three networks announced their exit polls gave Livni between 47 percent and 49 percent, compared to 37 percent for her closest rival, former defense minister and military chief Shaul Mofaz.
In a telephone call to supporters after the exit polls were broadcast, Livni indicated she would carry out the will of the activists.
“You fought like lions,” she told the gathering at her headquarters. “I just want to do all the things you fought for.”
Livni, who needed 40 percent of the vote to avoid a runof, was expected to address activists today after vote counting was completed.
The actual count was reflecting the exit polling. With about half of the votes tallied early today, Livni had 47 percent, compared with 41 percent for Mofaz, party officials told Israel Radio.
If official results bear out the exit polls, as is likely, the 50-year-old Livni will replace Prime Minister Ehud Olmert as head of Kadima. Olmert, the target of a career-ending corruption probe, promised to step down as soon as a new Kadima leader was chosen.
Livni will have 42 days to form a new ruling coalition. If she succeeds, she will become Israel’s first female prime minister since Golda Meir. If she fails, the country will hold elections in early 2009, a year-and-a-half ahead of schedule. Olmert will remain as a caretaker leader until a new coalition is approved by parliament.
Nationally, polls show Livni roughly tied with Benjamin Netanyahu of the hard-line Likud Party. A new nationwide vote would likely turn into a referendum on the current effort to forge a historic peace deal with the Palestinians.
“I am really happy that Livni won because she is committed to the peace process,” said dovish Israeli lawmaker Yossi Beilin. “I think the right thing for her to do now is to form a coalition that wants to promote peace rather than a broad government with the right.”