The Weekly Portion: A stable government must be in place

Tzipi Livni's victory in the Kadima primaries will have a major impact in Israel over the coming months.

The way the primaries were conducted in Kadima and all the events surrounding election day illustrated that the 'Kadima political culture' is identical to the original - the Likud's. On the political front however, thanks to Olmert especially, Kadima deviated from the Likud's path and let's hope that continues.

Two challenges stand before Tzipi Livni. One - to build a stable government without submitting to the political and financial threats of Shas, and two - to stay on the negotiation path with the Palestinian Authority and lead to an agreement. Negotiations with Ahmed Qurei (Abu Ala) were handled by Livni with an abundance of goodwill but with unnecessary inflexibility, even as clichéd elements were drawn on from before the Camp David Accords. The inflexibility was always conveniently described as "upholding the security interests of the State of Israel."

However, a skilled negotiator knows when to safeguard his own interests and when and where to find common ground with regards to the other side's interests. It remains to be seen (and hoped) whether Tzipi Livni, as prime minister, would be able to achieve with Mahmoud Abbas what she wasn't able to as foreign minister

I must say that I am not filled with joy at the prospect of Tzipi Livni becoming prime minister. On most issues, she is a political rival, and her executive experience is lacking like no one before her. But for the good of the country, especially in light of the international financial crisis, a stable government must be in place.

I wish her the best of luck in facing these two challenges before her.