MK Stern breaks from Hatnua, blames Livni

Former IDF general says party leader sold seats for union with Labor

By ToI Staff 20 December 2014, 9:30 pm 2

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After retiring from the army, Elazar Stern, as an MK, pushed for reform in the civilian conversion process (photo credit: Kobi Gideon/Flash90)

MK Elazar Stern on Saturday broke from Hatnua, criticizing party leader Tzipi Livni for joining forces with the Labor Party ahead of the March 2015 elections.

Stern, a former IDF general who joined Livni’s party ahead of the 2013 elections, said in his resignation letter that “Livni sold seats on the [party] list for the sake of the rotation with [Labor Party leader Isaac] Herzog.”

Earlier this month, Livni joined forces with Labor and agreed to run on a joint list with the opposition party in a bid to form a government to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The two parties agreed to make Livni the united list’s No. 2, and reportedly agreed to give former environmental protection minister Amir Peretz the eighth spot on their joint slate.

Other spots on the joint list were reserved for Hatnua MKs, but Stern was apparently not guaranteed a slot that would ensure his reelection.

Stern, the IDF’s former manpower chief, told the Ynet news site that Livni’s leadership in recent days was unacceptable to him. According to Ynet, Stern has discussed joining other parties ahead of the election, but the report didn’t specify which.