Six Kadima Legislators To Defect From Party

Thursday December 24, 2009 18:04 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

Israeli Television, Channel 1, reported on Wednesday at night that six Knesset members of the Kdaima Party, headed opposition leader by Tzipi Livni, signed their initials on an agreement with Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to defect from Kadima and join government coalition.

Netanyahu is currently the head of the Likud party. The six MK’s are considering forming a bloc that would be joining the coalition of Netanyahu.

Member of Knesset, Eli Aflalo, informed Livni on Tuesday that he will be leaving the Kadima party to join the Likud or as a one-man faction, Israel’s National News reported.

He told Livni that she “politically betrayed him” when she removed his name from a list of legislators she asked Kadima members to vote for during the preliminary Kadima elections.

The legislators signed an affidavit with Yitzhak Molcho, the advisor of Netanyahu, vowing to leave Kadima.

Legislator Yoel Hason of Kadima contacted the legal advisor of the Israeli government to investigate whether bribes were offered to the legislators to leave Kadima.

Furthermore, channel 1 reported that Netanyahu decided to temporarily stop seeking a division in the Kadima party.

Kadima party officials are trying to convince Kadima defectors to reconsider their decision.

Israeli National News reported that the defecting MK were reportedly promised by associates of Netanyahu to be granted ministerial portfolios such as Minister of Jerusalem, Minister of Broadcasting Authority, Minister of the Negev and the Galilee and chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.

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