Livni on return to politics: It's not just my decision
Former Kadima chairwoman refuses to declare whether she is returning to public life, says there's needs to be political bloc to challenge Netanyahu
Former Kadima chairwoman Tzipi Livni commented on the possibility of returning to public life on Sunday but refused to make any unequivocal statements.
Livni said that she would only return to politics in case a political bloc able to challenge Benjamin Netanyahu in the Janaury elections emerges. "It's not just my decision," she said. "We need a bloc and a joint decision on a candidate for prime minister."
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Speaking at a Green Movement conference in Tel Aviv, Livni said, "I'm at a point where I want to know this won't be just about making a statement but doing what Israel needs – a dramatic change."
She further added, "Six months ago, my party chose another chairman. I accepted the democratic decision and announced I was leaving the Knesset. I have not engaged in partisan politics since.
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"A few months later, circumstances created a situation where many anticipate my decision to return (to public life). It's not just my own personal decision. It doesn't matter what we think of ourselves, what is important is what the public thinks of us and the test is how that is translated into victory."
Livni leveled harsh criticism at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to join forces with Avigdor Lieberman.
Livni. Yet to make final decision (Photo: Yaron Brener)
"On Thursday we saw two leaders standing on the podium and repeating two words: governance and stability, as if they are values, as if that's the objective. We have a right to ask: governance and stability to serve what?
'Netanyahu fed us fear'
"This was about fear. Political fear for one's survival. If a person leading Israel into a problematic situation is given governance and power the outcome can be disastrous."
The former Kadima chairwoman slammed Netanyahu as if she were in the middle of an intense political campaign.
"For four years Israelis were fed fear on a daily basis. Fear of outside enemies, which translated into bad, racist and panicky conduct vis-à-vis other parts of Israeli society.
"Feeding us fear later enabled them sell us a solution about power. With so much talk of power, Israel has virtually never been weaker and more isolated, almost in a ghetto. Let's think about what we can do other than rally around fear."
Roi Mandel is a Ynet and Yedioth Ahronoth correspondent
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