Monday, March 28, 2011

Livni calls on PM Netanyahu to join forces with Kadima and give up his ‘natural partners’

Livni calls on PM Netanyahu to join forces with Kadima and give up his ‘natural partners’

MK Livni addresses Rabbinical Assembly at its annual convention in Las Vegas





Las Vegas, March 28, 2011 -- The Rabbinical Assembly, the international body of 1,600 Conservative rabbis serving 1.5 million Jews worldwide, kicked off its annual convention yesterday in Las Vegas with over 300 rabbis in attendance.


The opening day of the convention was highlighted with the participation of MK Tzipi Livni, head of Israel’s opposition and former Deputy Prime Minister. Livni spoke on Israel’s place as a Democratic state in the Middle East and the desire for religious pluralism.


“For me a Jewish state is not a Halachic state, but also not just one of a Jewish majority. For me a Jewish state is the homeland of a Jewish people. It is a Jewish society formed from national perspectives together with our history, culture and tradition,” Livni said while fielding questions from a packed audience on how she sees Israel’s future as a Jewish state.


“I don’t have the answers to all of the questions but I do know that if the biggest parties in Israel, Kadima and Likud, would work together, we could change the reality in Israel…There are those in Israel believing that a Jewish state means a Jewish majority. I say it’s not enough, but it is needed. To do this (keep Jewish majority), we must promote the idea of two states for two people.”


Livni then added, “In one of my meetings with PM Netanyahu, I was talking about the peace process and the need to enter negotiations to end the conflict. In order to do so we can work together as partners, but he (PM Netanyahu) needs to give up what he calls his ‘natural partners,’ than we can create and write the first chapter of the Israeli constitution.”

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