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Last update - 06:34 25/01/2009
Kadima: Netanyahu-led Israel would clash with Obama
By Mazal Mualem and Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondents
Tags: Benjamin Netanyahu 

Kadima is capitalizing on Washington's new administration in its campaign for the premiership against Likud chairman MK Benjamin Netanyahu, warning that a Netanyahu government will lead to a clash between Israel and the United States.

Livni said privately on Saturday that "people forget what happened to this relationship when Bibi was prime minister, and they have to be reminded."

Livni said the visit Wednesday of Obama's new envoy to the Middle East, George Mitchell, was "an opportunity for Israel." The United States wants to be involved and bring about a solution to the conflict. The pressure it brings to bear will be directed at those who reject the process. Israel will have to chose whether it is on the side that promotes the process or rejects it; otherwise there will be an unavoidable rift with the United States," Livni said.
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Kadima is considering using in its campaign spots excerpts from a book by Dennis Ross, special Middle East coordinator under former president Bill Clinton and expected to work with the administration as a special peace envoy. One excerpt from the book, "The Missing Peace," describes Netanyahu as insufferable and states that that after Ross and Clinton met with him, the U.S. president felt Netanyahu thought he was the power, and that the Americans were there to do his bidding.

Sources close to Netanyahu dismissed Kadima's "Obama campaign" and called it "very superficial" and indicated that Kadima was "desperate." The sources said that unlike Livni, Netanyahu had a deep understanding, developed over many years, of the American administration and its central figures.

Senior Likud figures said Livni's advisers were actually helping Netanyahu in their "Obama campaign." "Clearly the public has moved to the right after the war in Gaza, so it will also want a tough leader who will protect Israel's interests vis-a-vis the Americans," they said.

Sources close to Netanyahu say his views are much more suitable for the new administration than those of his rivals. If Netanyahu becomes prime minister, an associate said, "he will work to significantly improve the situation in the West Bank, both economically and in terms of security. In a short time under Netanyahu changes will be seen that were not seen all during the period that Livni was negotiating, so we will reach a real diplomatic solution." Meanwhile, sources close to Defense Minister and Labor Party chairman Ehud Barak are saying they are the ones who will work best with Obama.

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      1.   Kadima is the party of the slaves 03:30  |  Frank 25/01/09
      2.   postpone the elections - 03:45  |  ivo 25/01/09
      3.   Clash with Obama 04:00  |  Dr.Joji Cherian 25/01/09
      4.   Easy Fix for Bibi clashing w/Obama -- matching neck-ties 04:00  |  disgusted american 25/01/09
      5.   ...Just like Kadima led has clashed with Israel 04:08  |  Bern 25/01/09
      6.   US pressure and sides 04:09  |  Tzipi Luvme 25/01/09
      7.   Kadima led government will surrender Jerusalem to Hamas & PLO 04:18  |  Harry Weiser 25/01/09
      8.   If Bibi stands up to Obama thats great 04:50  |  Rabbi Yakov Lazaros 25/01/09
      9.   I sure hope that our government will clash 05:05  |  Gee 25/01/09
      10.   Concern for Israel 05:10  |  daat y 25/01/09
      11.   Its true 05:14  |  Lenny 25/01/09
      12.   Very dangerious 05:17  |  Raf 25/01/09
      13.   Self-determination 05:43  |  David R. Zukerman 25/01/09
      14.   Bibi, meet Obama at the political OK Corral... 05:57  |  Marshall Wyatt Earp 25/01/09
      15.   Kadima`s warning 06:03  |  Arie 25/01/09
      16.   Livni is an Amateur 06:12  |  George Kaplan 25/01/09
      17.   Livni is just weak, weak ,weak! 06:32  |  Safta 25/01/09
      18.   #2 ivo You`re right that any party but Likud is preferable 06:59  |  Smadar 25/01/09
      19.   And after a little war in Gaza it`s unavoidable 07:52  |  C.O 25/01/09
      20.   Kadima Needs To Be Voted Out Of Office, 07:59  |  Livin In Rishon 25/01/09
      21.   Policy of Deterrence and Ressistance 08:11  |  Ralph Levy 25/01/09
      22.   Netanyahu will NOT clash with Israel! 08:15  |  Israeli 25/01/09
      23.   AMEN TO THAT ... vote bibi in!!! 08:18  |  Israeli 25/01/09
      24.   netanyahu 08:22  |  allan 25/01/09
      25.   Desperate politics by failing Kadima! 08:23  |  redbourn 25/01/09
      26.   #2 I don`t know if you`re serious or tongue in cheek? 08:28  |  redbourn 25/01/09
      27.   Kadima was pledged to a west bank withdrawal 08:32  |  Natallie Durson 25/01/09
      28.   Kadima, George Mitchell,Obama and Co 08:33  |  DT 25/01/09
      29.   Will Israel fall for Hamas Scam? 08:38  |  Jason Paz 25/01/09
      30.   to Frank #1 08:39  |  zeev 25/01/09
      31.   Right On, Frank (#1) 08:44  |  Steve 25/01/09
      32.   Bibi learning his new ABC`s like a good little boy 09:11  |  Yours Truly 25/01/09
      33.   Kadima will be Obama`s lap-dog 09:27  |  Observer 25/01/09
      34.   Livni`s boss 09:30  |  ron 25/01/09
      35.   go israel 09:30  |  allan 25/01/09
      36.   america 09:37  |  allan 25/01/09
      37.   people should vote their conscience 09:44  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 25/01/09
      38.   Scaremongering will not save the left 09:58  |  JD 25/01/09
      39.   Israel would be best served by a national coalition 10:01  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 25/01/09
      40.   Bibi is the winner, even Obama knos this. 10:19  |  Nora 25/01/09
      41.   clash with Obama 10:24  |  Ralph 25/01/09
      42.   A "trickser", a "thug" and the "daughter of a terrorist"..... 10:39  |  Swiss (Dino) 25/01/09
      43.   #6 Harry Weiser another Galut Galloper 10:51  |  Ari ben Yisrael 25/01/09
      44.   THE LAST CHANCE FOR PEACE 11:08  |  indrajaya 25/01/09
      45.   YOU WILL LOSE, BIBI 11:10  |  indrajaya 25/01/09
      46.   Oslo 11:24  |  Gilad 25/01/09
      47.   Likud=Kadima=Avoda=war=no hope 11:29  |  Israeli need hope 25/01/09
      48.   kadima is RIGHT! unless "beebee" is FOR the arab peace plan 11:37  |  eric 25/01/09
      49.   Are there actually any good options? 11:41  |  David 25/01/09
      50.   delusional livni 11:51  |  simon 25/01/09
      51.   delusional livni 11:51  |  simon 25/01/09
      52.   delusional livni 11:51  |  simon 25/01/09
      53.   #25 - Lose what? Please be clear .. 11:58  |  martin knopfman 25/01/09
      54.   #2, ivo 11:58  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 25/01/09
      55.   how to bypass the clash 12:48  |  dani.a 25/01/09
      56.   to CJ Kohn #17 12:52  |  zeev 25/01/09
      57.   Is that the best Kadima can say, will that deter voters, no. 13:13  |  Harvey 25/01/09
      58.   Better to clash with Obama than to lose Israel 13:28  |  Zev 25/01/09
      59.   Good, we have to learn to say NO to the Americans. 13:29  |  Wise Saba 25/01/09
      60.   Livni-led Israel will be a catastrophe 13:30  |  Ehud 25/01/09
      61.   to simon #30 14:28  |  zeev 25/01/09
      62.   Kadima discredited by Gaza, better a clash with Bibi 14:09  |  Ivar 25/01/09
      63.   Bush/Rice: Omert/Livni are Spinning Complete Fiction 14:25  |  Ovadiah ben Avraham 25/01/09
      64.   Cipora #33: elections in a rush - 14:26  |  ivo 25/01/09
      65.   Strong Israel is necessary 14:49  |  Brod 25/01/09
      66.   Netanyahu may reclaim Israel`s moral standing 14:51  |  Nathaniel 25/01/09
      67.   VOTING FOR DEFEAT 15:05  |  Steve 25/01/09
      68.   Good: Bibi must stand up to Obama & stop more LandforWar policies 15:07  |  Tomer 25/01/09
      69.   At least Bibi can talk to him without a translator 15:08  |  Raymond in DC 25/01/09
      70.   Bibi and Obama can talk, relate, laugh and smile 15:12  |  Avi 25/01/09
      71.   David and the Barefoot Harvard Square Anarchists (#29) 15:20  |  Steve 25/01/09
      72.   Bibi can just state he`s cancelling all acts of his predecessor.. 15:57  |  Dr. L. Brnd 25/01/09
      73.   JESUSALEN 16:16  |  cristian 25/01/09
      74.   I see there is a lot of support 16:17  |  Chris Linthwaite 25/01/09
      75.   Only STRONG ISRAEL is loved by friends and respected by enemies. 16:28  |  Vittorio 25/01/09
      76.   obama 16:56  |  melwilde 25/01/09
      77.   Al Jazeera Shaping New American Opinions 17:16  |  Gray 25/01/09
      78.   Puppets Kadima OBEY Everything their U.S. MASTERS Tell them to do 17:28  |  Linda Rivera 25/01/09
      79.   Well now....It appears we have a failure to ... 18:04  |  Evil Knievel 25/01/09
      80.   The same old mess. 18:24  |  Stephen. 25/01/09
      81.   Al Jazeera Shaping New American Opinions 19:44  |  Gray 25/01/09
      82.   Al Jazeera Shaping New American Opinions 19:44  |  Gray 25/01/09
      83.   Obama - Netanyahu clash 19:53  |  Steven L. Edwards 25/01/09
      84.   New America Faces Old Treachery 20:04  |  Gray 25/01/09
      85.   Bibi is the only one capable of preventing Obama 21:07  |  JM 25/01/09
      86.   To Kadima 21:09  |  Ralph 25/01/09
      87.   Gray -HamasTarget JEWISH INNOCENTS.Israel Targets Terrorists (1) 21:31  |  Linda Rivera 25/01/09
      88.   Gray - Palestinian Authority Call for MURDER of Jews& Americans 21:42  |  Linda Rivera 25/01/09
      89.   The American Way 22:52  |  The Other Alan 25/01/09
      90.   Kadima - A Party of Weakminded Appeasers 23:02  |  Tod Zuckerman 25/01/09
      91.   Netanyahu-led Israel... 00:32  |  Judah N. Wenkel 26/01/09
      92.   #13 "self determination" 01:23  |  american 26/01/09
      93.   #91 american 01:58  |  Daybreak 26/01/09
      94.   Rubbish, Bibi, admitted he wants coalition, will be SAME as Kadim 02:03  |  harvey 26/01/09
      95.   We Hope So! 06:11  |  UsedToPostHere 26/01/09
      96.   On the wrongside of history 06:11  |  Avi 26/01/09
      97.   re: Israeli need hope 06:13  |  UsedToPostHere 26/01/09
      98.   Thank you #93 06:30  |  David R. Zukerman 26/01/09
      99.   Elect Netanyahu Prime Minister 08:31  |  rabbi toveem 27/01/09
      100.   questions to rabbi toveem #99 09:19  |  zeev 29/01/09
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