Livni: Centrist position is most difficult
During election rally foreign minister says 'it's easy to be rightist, slamming everything, or leftist, not facing realities, but hardest to be centrist'; answers Mofaz's criticism by calling for evacuation only after Palestinian boundaries are set
Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni told supporters at an election rally in Tel Aviv that "it's easy to be a rightist and criticize everything without offering alternatives. It's also easy to be a leftist and ignore realities. It's harder to be a centrist, and the fact that we are centrists is not a coincidence. It's an ideology. Kadima will not divide the people."
Referring to the proposal of an evacuation-compensation bill for Jewish settlers in the West Bank she said that "voluntary evacuation can only be prescribed after the borders with the Palestinians are set."
Livni's opponent in the Kadima Party elections, Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz, has accused Livni of doublespeak, and claimed that the evacuation-compensation law would weaken Israel in the negotiations with the Palestinians.
In response to her opponent's claims Livni said, "I'm tired of these slogans claiming that negotiations are done out of weakness."
According to the foreign minister, "we are living in a complicated environment, and the answers are more complex. The right and left of yesterday provide very superficial answers for this complex situation.
"It is in Israel's best interest to promote the two-state solution. This process is not some gift I am giving to the Palestinians because I feel obligated, but because our highest mission, our vision – a secure State of Israel. We have to cede part of Israel and keep it Jewish and democratic."
But Livni stressed that Israel would not accept a deal at any price, and only an agreement that served Israeli interests would be recognized. "If there is one thing we can't do, it's to allow a political schedule to affect negotiations," she said.
Responding to terror
She also warned against a recurrence of the mistakes of the Camp David Summit. "These negotiations require discretion," she said. "We need to make sure we are not cornered or attempt to bridge gaps that cannot be bridged yet."
The foreign minister acknowledged that Israel may need to resort to military tactics in order to inspire change. "With terrorism one must use force at times, and if fire can prevent fire, sometimes it must be used," she said. "Dialogue alone will not change the reality in Gaza."
However Livni also said that concepts of security are not solely based on military issues. "The significance of being centrist is to lead a process and maintain security, to respond forcefully to terror," she said. "A leader must recognize threats and decide what must be done, without worrying about the following day's headlines."
Livni announced she plans to win the election and bring on change. "The public's hope is a responsibility that weighs heavily on my shoulders," she said. "I plan to win the primaries and lead Israel to where it should be."
