‘A Mofaz-led Kadima would join a Likud government’

MK Yisrael Hasson speculates that Kadima and Likud would join together if Tzipi Livni were not the party chair

By Ilan Ben Zion 3 March 2012, 6:22 pm

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Ilan Ben Zion is an AFP reporter and a former news editor at The Times of Israel.

File: Israel Antiquities Authority head and former MK Yisrael Hasson, at the Knesset. (Miriam Alster/Flash90)

MK Yisrael Hasson (Kadima) said on Saturday that Shaul Mofaz would form a unity government with Likud if he wins in the party primaries in March, Army Radio reported.

Kadima, the largest opposition party in the Knesset, will hold its primary elections on March 27, pitting current chairwoman Tzipi Livni against former chief of staff Shaul Mofaz.

According to Hasson, “the current coalition isn’t taking Israel anywhere,” and only a unity government that includes the major parties will get anything done.

Mofaz’s staff denied Hasson’s statement, saying that joining Likud is not an option. Instead, they stated that Mofaz’s intent is to wrest control from Likud and take Israel in the right direction.

Hasson quickly amended his statement afterwards, saying that he meant to say that Mofaz would extend his offer of unity government to Netanyahu after he won the general, not primary, elections.

Hasson joined Kadima in 2008 after serving as an MK for Yisrael Beitainu. Before entering politics in 2006, he worked as deputy director of the Shin Bet.