Israel's foreign minister has edge in party race

Israeli FM Tzipi Livni has a clear edge in the Kadima party race to replace scandal-hit Ehud Olmert. This was according to polls published today, but officials have questioned her ability to form a coalition and become prime minister. Israel's foreign minister has edge in party race Two of the three polls in major Israeli newspapers showed Livni running nearly neck-and-neck with rightist Likud party leader Benjamin Netanyahu should snap parliamentary elections be called, a prospect not favored by centrist Kadima and its largest coalition partner, left-of-centre Labor. Olmert threw Israel into political turmoil that could hamstring Middle East peacemaking by announcing on Wednesday that he would stand down as premier after a September 17 Kadima leadership contest. Olmert underwent another round of police questioning on Friday over allegations he took bribes from an American businessman and made duplicate claims for travel expenses when he was trade minister and mayor of Jerusalem. Olmert, who has denied wrongdoing, was questioned for three hours in his official residence in Jerusalem, police said. "Other questioning dates will be scheduled in the near future," Olmert's media adviser said. Even after he formally resigns, Olmert would remain caretaker prime minister until his successor builds a new coalition government, a process that could take months. That will give him some time to continue peace talks with the Palestinians and indirect negotiations with Syria, but politicians and analysts said he would lack the mandate to make commitments that would be honored by his successor. Polls in all three newspapers showed Livni, a former intelligence agent, with a wide lead of 8-18 percentage points over her closest Kadima rival, Transport Minister Shaul Mofaz. A banner headline in Israel's mass circulation Yedioth Ahronoth declared the start of "The Battle of Succession". Kadima officials questioned the ability of Livni, Israel's chief negotiator with the Palestinians, to build a coalition between the country's fractious parties, increasing the chances of early parliamentary elections. Mofaz, a former defence chief known for his tough tactics in crushing a Palestinian uprising, may have an easier time winning over the ultra-Orthodox Shas party to secure the 61 seats needed in parliament to form a stable government, they said. One top Kadima official said he feared the battle to succeed Olmert "will tear Kadima to apart". Former prime minister Netanyahu, a vocal critic of Olmert's peace moves, could try to thwart Kadima's plans to form the next government by mustering a majority in parliament, either to form his own coalition or to move up elections scheduled for 2010. But two surveys published on Friday suggested Netanyahu would face a tighter-than-expected race if Kadima picks Livni as its new leader. A poll in the Yedioth showed that Netanyahu would win 30 seats compared to 29 for Livni, while left-leaning Haaretz had Livni netting 26 seats, ahead of Netanyahu's 25. Daily Maariv put Netanyahu clearly ahead, showing that if elections were to be held today, Likud would sweep 33 seats in Israel's 120-seat parliament with Livni at the head of Kadima taking only 20 seats. Defense Minister Ehud Barak, the Labor Party leader, is widely seen as backing Livni, the most powerful woman in Israeli politics since Prime Minister Golda Meir in the 1970s. In a statement on Friday, he said Labor would consider joining a new coalition but added: "If we need to go to elections, then we will be ready."

Israel's foreign minister has edge in party race

Two of the three polls in major Israeli newspapers showed Livni running nearly neck-and-neck with rightist Likud party leader Benjamin Netanyahu should snap parliamentary elections be called, a prospect not favored by centrist Kadima and its largest coalition partner, left-of-centre Labor.

Olmert threw Israel into political turmoil that could hamstring Middle East peacemaking by announcing on Wednesday that he would stand down as premier after a September 17 Kadima leadership contest.

Olmert underwent another round of police questioning on Friday over allegations he took bribes from an American businessman and made duplicate claims for travel expenses when he was trade minister and mayor of Jerusalem.

Olmert, who has denied wrongdoing, was questioned for three hours in his official residence in Jerusalem, police said. "Other questioning dates will be scheduled in the near future," Olmert's media adviser said.

Even after he formally resigns, Olmert would remain caretaker prime minister until his successor builds a new coalition government, a process that could take months.

That will give him some time to continue peace talks with the Palestinians and indirect negotiations with Syria, but politicians and analysts said he would lack the mandate to make commitments that would be honored by his successor.

Polls in all three newspapers showed Livni, a former intelligence agent, with a wide lead of 8-18 percentage points over her closest Kadima rival, Transport Minister Shaul Mofaz.

A banner headline in Israel's mass circulation Yedioth Ahronoth declared the start of "The Battle of Succession".

Kadima officials questioned the ability of Livni, Israel's chief negotiator with the Palestinians, to build a coalition between the country's fractious parties, increasing the chances of early parliamentary elections.

Mofaz, a former defence chief known for his tough tactics in crushing a Palestinian uprising, may have an easier time winning over the ultra-Orthodox Shas party to secure the 61 seats needed in parliament to form a stable government, they said.

One top Kadima official said he feared the battle to succeed Olmert "will tear Kadima to apart".

Former prime minister Netanyahu, a vocal critic of Olmert's peace moves, could try to thwart Kadima's plans to form the next government by mustering a majority in parliament, either to form his own coalition or to move up elections scheduled for 2010.

But two surveys published on Friday suggested Netanyahu would face a tighter-than-expected race if Kadima picks Livni as its new leader.

A poll in the Yedioth showed that Netanyahu would win 30 seats compared to 29 for Livni, while left-leaning Haaretz had Livni netting 26 seats, ahead of Netanyahu's 25.

Daily Maariv put Netanyahu clearly ahead, showing that if elections were to be held today, Likud would sweep 33 seats in Israel's 120-seat parliament with Livni at the head of Kadima taking only 20 seats.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak, the Labor Party leader, is widely seen as backing Livni, the most powerful woman in Israeli politics since Prime Minister Golda Meir in the 1970s.

In a statement on Friday, he said Labor would consider joining a new coalition but added: "If we need to go to elections, then we will be ready."