Why did Labor Chairman Yitzhak Herzog agree for Tzipi Livni’s Hatnua party to join Labor and, more importantly, to share the country’s top political office with her?
Because, said Yitzchak Herzog, it’s good for business – the business of getting votes.
In an interview with Army Radio on Thursday, Herzog deflected the various theories that have been bandied about over why he agreed to enter into a rotation agreement with Livni,
He is not being blackmailed by Livni and he is not looking for a way out of leading his party, he said.
“Tzipi said exactly what was needed to make this deal,” he said. “This is not a matter of bargaining or blackmail. She said one sentence that I really liked – ‘Two are better than one’ – and I am convinced of that as well.”
Herzog said the agreement has the potential for true leadership. “I truly believe in sharing the leadership; this is a new and refreshing idea that has not really been a feature of Israeli politics until now. I believe this will help us form a coalition. It is giving us hope and power,” he said.
That said, Herzog realizes the new system has challenges.
“Of course there are risks, but under the current circumstances we need to join forces. We have both done polls, and they show we will do better together than we would have separately,” he added.
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