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• Tzipi Livni is an Israeli politician and the leader of the Kadima party. She ran in the general election held in February 2009. Livni won the vote count in the general election. However, both Livni and her opponent, Benjamin Netanyahu, failed to get the majority needed to govern. President Shimon Peres asked Likud leader Netanyahu to form the next government after a majority of parliament members said they supported him.The Washington Post: Netanyahu Assembles New Israeli Government (February 20, 2009) Netanyahu and Livni failed to reach an agreement regarding a coalition.BBC News: No deal in Israel coalition talks (February 27, 2009) Netanyahu instead formed a coalition with the Labor Party and three right-wing parties and took office on April 1, 2009.

• Fast Facts

  1. Full name: Tzipora Malka LivniThe Independent: Israel: The spy who would be PM(September 15, 2008)
  2. Born: July 8, 1958 Knesset Official Page: Portrait of Tzipi Livni
  3. Birthplace: Tel Aviv, IsraelThe Independent: Israel: The spy who would be PM(September 15, 2008)
  4. Resides: Tel Aviv, IsraelKnesset Official Page: Portrait of Tzipi Livni
  5. Married, 2 childrenKnesset Official Page: Portrait of Tzipi Livni
  6. Law degree from Bar Ilan UniversityKnesset Official Page: Portrait of Tzipi Livni
  7. Worked at the Mossad 1980-1984Knesset Official Page: Portrait of Tzipi Livni
  8. 1999: Elected to the Knesset as a member of LikudThe Independent: Israel: The spy who would be PM(September 15, 2008)
  9. Advocates the two-state solutionThe Independent: Israel: The spy who would be PM(September 15, 2008)
  10. Joined new Kadima party in 2005The Independent: Israel: The spy who would be PM(September 15, 2008)
  11. Israel's second female foreign ministerAl Jazeera: Profile: Tzipi Livni(May 3, 2008)

• Two-State Solution

  Livni was raised in a strongly nationalist family - her father was a member of the Irgun group. However, she underwent an "ideological conversion" and now wants to see the creation of a Palestinian state beside Israel. To achieve this, she advocates Israeli withdrawal from most of the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem.Al Jazeera: Livni 'wins' Kadima leadership vote(September 17, 2008)BBC News: Tzipi Livni: Israel's 'Mrs Clean'(May 2, 2008)

• Election To Replace Olmert

  Livni won the election on September 17, 2008 for leader of the Kadima party. It was a decisive 10 point victory over her Shaul Mofaz rival in the contest to replace Ehud Olmert as party leader and Israeli prime minister.Al Jazeera: Livni 'wins' Kadima leadership vote(September 17, 2008)

  Olmert was forced to resign after he was implicated in a bribery scandal involving American businessman Morris Talansky. He agreed to step down immediately after the vote was decided.Haaretz: Olmert: Stepping down is painful, but I feel no bitterness (September 17, 2008)

• Quote

  "The land of Israel does not belong to the right, just as peace does not belong to the left."BBC: Israeli Rivals Claim Election Win (February 11, 2009)

• Related Pages on Mahalo

  Ehud Olmert | Israeli-Palestinian Conflict | Kadima | Israel | Olmert Resigns | Golda Meir | Margaret Thatcher | Indira Gandhi | Corazon Aquino | Gloria Arroyo

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