Intelligent, Charming – Head of Government?

"When the time comes, I will be a candidate," said Israel's foreign minister Tzipi Livni, and as early as last year she was demanding the resignation of prime minister Ehud Olmert. Now, her time may be at hand. Anna Kuhn-Osius reports

Tzipi Livni (photo: AP)
Israel's foreign minister Tzipi Livni aspires to more. She challenges traditional Israel ideologies without denying her nationalistic views

​​Tzipi Livni is considered the most influential woman in Israel. Pundits call her an "over-achiever," "a strong woman" who knows what she wants. Tzipi Livni wants the top job. And today, the fifty-year-old is the clear favorite in the race for a successor to prime minister Ehud Olmert.

Livni says what she thinks. Always. So far, her honesty has consistently been to her advantage. The mother of two children, she has long been one of her country's most popular politicians. According to the polls, she may do well in the next elections, although it is likely to be a close race – between her and the conservative politician Benjamin Netanjahu.

Daughter of a radical Zionist

Livni hails from a politically active family. Both parents belonged to the nationalist Irgun militia, which engaged in violent resistance to British rule in Palestine. They even resorted to terrorist attacks. Livni's father was head of the operational unit, active in planning and executing attacks. After ending his militant career, he served three terms in the Knesset as a member of the Likud party.

Spy, attorney, politician

It recently became known that following her military service, Tzipi Livni spent four years as a spy for the Mossad secret service. After marrying a tax accountant, she resigned from the secret service, saying she no longer wanted to live "this life."

Livni studied law. She worked as an attorney for ten years. Then in 1996 she ran for the Knesset for the first time, beginning her political career. Although she lost her bid for election to Parliament, she became general manager of the Government Companies Authority.

She was elected to parliament as a member of the Likud party in 1999. Shortly afterward Ariel Sharon was elected prime minister, and she was immediately given a role in the government, becoming minister for regional cooperation and later minister of agriculture. Two years later she was appointed minister of immigrant absorption and minister of housing and construction.

The job of her dreams: Minister of Justice

Livni got what she called her "dream job" in 2004 when she became minister of justice. To this day, she is considered an extraordinary justice minister – professional and resolute, open to reform. She did not shy away from power struggles and didn't let conflicts of opinion rest. During this time, she became Israel’s most popular female conservative politician.

Livni and Steinmeier (photo: AP)
Gets along well with her colleagues: Livni wants to be the second female prime minister after Golda Meir

​​When Ariel Sharon turned his back on the Likud party and switched to the newly founded Kadima party, Livni went with him. She wrote the political platform for the new moderate party.

When Sharon suffered a stroke in 2006, there was talk of Tzipi Livni succeeding him. She played coy and supported Ehud Olmert. In exchange, she immediately became Olmert's foreign minister and acting prime minister, while continuing to serve as justice minister as well as minister for immigrant issues and integration.

New mentality

Livni is constantly striving to improve her image as a professional and reliable political personality. Observers praise her willingness to blaze new trails without betraying her fundamental principles.

She challenges traditional ideologies without compromising her own beliefs, it is said. She succeeds in merging a new way of thinking with national values. Her soft voice and plainspoken views have often been beneficial to her career. She welcomes opportunities to confront people in comparable or even higher positions – but never kicks opponents when they're down.

Livnis and Abbas (photo: AP)
Livni supports a clear two-state solution

​​Livni has a few things in common with Olmert: His parents were also active in right-wing underground movements advocating a larger Israel with no independent Palestinian state. Both have moved away from that position, and both are pragmatic and ambitious. Both have gravitated increasingly toward more moderate political views, and have switched from Likud to the Kadima party. But there are differences.

While Olmert has been known to elbow his way around and humiliate weaker opponents, Livni ensures staff members in the foreign ministry are satisfied and happy. She's the boss, but she listens to her employees. Political appointments and favors are a thing of the past since she took over. In the old days, a favorite chauffeur was rewarded with a diplomatic post. Those days are over under Livni's leadership.

Charming personally, but resolute on the issues

Livni exudes confidence, both at home and on the international scene. She plays a leading role in the peace negotiations with the Palestinians. She listens, answers in Hebrew, English or French, is a master of diplomacy, and yet remains willing to address any issue of conflict.

Observers praise her intelligence, her charisma, her cosmopolitan flair. Although her hard line on the war in Lebanon and her critique of the UN were controversial, even her opponents are forced to admit that Livni delivered outstanding arguments for her well-thought-out positions.

Ideological turning point

​​Particularly interesting is the ideological evolution she has undergone in the course of her career. She was conservative and anti- Palestinian. Now she actively seeks peace – by offering to recognize a Palestinian state. But her position with regard to the radical Hamas party is unyielding: She refuses to negotiate with the radicals and advocates the continued and total isolation of the Gaza Strip.

Clear goal: Peace

Livni is the first government official to have called Palestinians who defend themselves against Israeli soldiers "rebels" instead of "terrorists." Many observers say she has the right stuff – and especially the courage – not only to advocate peace, but to actively implement it.

Livni would like to create a de-militarized Palestinian state as soon as possible. As early as the end of this year, Livni hopes to achieve an agreement with the Palestinians.

There is one thing Livni's governing Kadima party hopes to avoid at all costs once Olmert is back: early elections. For their strategy to work, Olmert's successor will have to succeed in building a new coalition. The labor party would support Kadima under Livni's leadership. It would be considerably more difficult to convince the ultra-orthodox Shas party.

As head of government, Livni would have 42 days in which to put together a new coalition. Were she to fail, she would be forced to confront her main opponent Benjamin Netanyahu, head of the Likud party, in new elections. He has been the strongest critic of the peace process – and is still ahead in the polls.

Head of government? With special wishes!

Hillary Clinton and Ségolène Royal have shown that it is still not easy for women to be elected to the highest office in their lands. Were she to succeed in spite of all the difficulties, Livni would join Angela Merkel as the female head of a Western nation.

Of course, that would also mean a change in the menu at international diplomatic meetings: Livni is said to be a strict vegetarian.

Anna Kuhn-Osius

© Qantara.de 2008

Translated from the German by Mark Rossman

Qantara.de

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