国际英语新闻：Netanyahu's maneuvers likely to create political storm in Israel

    The notion that this has anything to do with Shalit, the peace process, the Iranian nuclear issue or international diplomacy is viewed with derision by Yossi Sarid, an outspoken columnist with the Israeli daily Ha'aretz and a former leader of the dovish Meretz party.

    The offer from Netanyahu to Livni would have given Kadima up to four ministerial positions and as many as three seats in the powerful inner security cabinet. "It's clear that she can't join the government," said Sarid.

    Had Netanyahu really wanted Kadima on board, he would have made the proposal far more acceptable to Livni, said the former education minister, adding that "this is nothing other than petty politics."

    After trying to break up Kadima, Sarid said he believes Netanyahu will try to poach Kadima's more-hawkish lawmakers, which would unlikely bring any good news to the already stalemated peace negotiations with the Palestinians.

    "There's no peace process anyway, and there's nothing on the horizon. Netanyahu doesn't want the lawmakers from Kadima to help with the peace process but rather to bury it," said Sarid.

    TIMING

    Like many relationships in Israeli politics, the one between Netanyahu and Livni goes back a long way. In the late 1990s when Netanyahu was premier for the first time, Livni headed the Government Companies Authority, helping Netanyahu spearhead his privatization campaign.

    Livni then became a lawmaker with Likud, but left the party to become a founding member of the more centrist Kadima alongside former Prime Ministers Ariel Sharon and Ehud Olmert.

    In the February general elections, Kadima won 28 seats, while Likud took 27. Yet in the end, Netanyahu formed the government because Netanyahu had more natural allies than Livni did and was therefore able to build a fairly strong hawkish coalition.

    At that time, Netanyahu asked Kadima to join the government. But despite considerable pressure from her number two, former defense minister Shaul Mofaz, she opted to reject Netanyahu's overtures. Since then, Netanyahu's emissaries have reportedly been working behind the scenes to persuade Kadima's disgruntled members to jump ship.

    "Why not now? He smells a weakness, and maybe he got hints from a variety of lawmakers to strike now," suggested Sarid. With a similar tone, Tzadok said that Netanyahu's decision to move against Livni and Kadima could have been taken at any time and now is as good an opportunity as any.

    If Netanyahu is successful with this maneuver, then it will become a question whether Livni and her Kadima party will survive beyond the current Knesset, said Sarid. Yet he also noted that although Livni has not really got any policies, there is no one else on the political left capable of leading the country right now.

    All in all, many analysts pointed out that Netanyahu has played his hand superbly, by seemingly strengthening his coalition and dividing the Likud's main political rival.