Ramon quits Kadima, eyes new party with Livni, Lapid

Former member of Knesset Haim Ramon quit Kadima on Wednesday, one day after the party forged an agreement with Likud and entered Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition. "In my view, Kadima no longer exists, in an ideological sense," Ramon said.

Many Kadima members believe Ramon left the party because of former party chair Tzipi Livni's loss to current party chair Shaul Mofaz in the latest primaries and Livni's subsequent resignation from the Knesset. Ramon, a staunch supporter of Livni, was an active partner in her three-year battle against Mofaz for leadership of the party.

Ramon was a member of Knesset from 1983 and 2009. He served as vice premier in former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's government from 2007 to 2009. In January 2007 he was convicted of indecent assault and sentenced to community service, which he served in a therapeutic riding center in Tel Mond. The court did not find moral turpitude in his actions.

In June 2009 Ramon announced his resignation from the Knesset but remained chairman of the Kadima Council, the party's most important body.

Several days ago Mofaz informed Ramon that he would no longer be chairman of the party's council due to personnel changes he decided to make within the party structure. Ramon told Mofaz that since he held his position only due to a personal appointment by Livni, he would have no problem resigning his post.

Kadima members speculated that Ramon will try to form a new party with Livni and will try to bring Yair Lapid, head of the new Yesh Atid party, on board as well.

"Livni and Lapid together would be comparable to Kadima in the polls, and if such a party will be formed, many will join it," Ramon said to reporters on Wednesday. "I don't know if this party will be established now, but it will eventually exist. I am going to work to found a party like that in the future."

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