Analysis: Who is behind the new immigrant party 'The Israelis'?

Who is behind "The Israelis," the new immigrant political party running in the coming elections for the 19th Knesset? Although it is headed by David Kon, an anchorman for Channel 9's Russian-language news, rumors are circulating that the real forces behind the party are Tzipi Livni and Haim Ramon, founders of Hatnuah ("The Movement") party.

Despite Kon's denials, in recent days additional evidence has come to light that Livni and Ramon were in fact involved in establishing the new immigrant party. The new party's behavior appeared strange to many from the outset. Kon denied that he had any intention of entering politics until the very last minute. Nevertheless, over the course of many weeks, he acknowledged being in contact with Livni, Ramon and figures from the Russian community, including MK Yulia Shamalov Berkovich (Kadima), MK Marina Solodkin (Kadima), MK Robert Tiviaev (Kadima) and others.

About two weeks ago, Alex Kogan, a reporter for the Russian-language news website IzRus, wrote that at about 6 p.m. on Dec. 6, four hours before the deadline for submitting a candidate list, he had conversed with Kon, who vehemently denied any plans to go into politics.

At 9:50 p.m., 10 minutes before the deadline, The Israelis submitted a candidate list with only seven names. At the top of the list was Kon. In seventh and last place, Boris Elkon. A statement released by the party said that Kon and Elkon had established the party together. But in a separate interview this week, Kon said that Elkon had recruited him into the party. Sources involved in composing the party list told Israel Hayom that the party's dominant force is in fact Elkon.

Kon does not deny that he met with Livni and Ramon in the weeks leading up to the party's establishment, but claims that the purpose of the meetings was for him to join Hatnuah. The first to report on the connection between Livni, Ramon and Kon was Raviv Drucker of Channel 10 News.

Political sources who spoke with Kon and Elkon in recent weeks said that Livni, and mainly Ramon, were in fact involved in establishing the party and in attempts to finance it. The first attempt to finance the party was through the defection of seven Kadima MKs, which had been spearheaded by Livni. In a conversation with Shamalov Berkovich, during which he tried to persuade her to join him, Kon allegedly told her that Ramon had promised him that once the seven had defected, two of them, Robert Tiviaev and Marina Solodkin, would further defect and join The Israelis. This would have enabled them to receive funding to the tune of 1.6 million shekels ($420,000) from the state.

Tiviaev confirmed that he had indeed been contacted, but refused to provide details. Solodkin also confirmed that she had been offered a spot in The Israelis during a meeting she held with Kon a week before the closing of the lists. Kon told her that he intended to establish a party that would be based on a dormant party that Ramon had dug up and offered her a spot. "As soon as I heard that Ramon was involved, I turned him down," she told Israel Hayom. "I told Kon to stay away from that man. In my view, the Russian public has been burned by him. He caused the Israel B'aliyah party to split and we don't easily forget that."

After negotiations with Tiviaev and Solodkin failed, Shamalov Berkovich was also offered a spot in the party. She was meant to join the seven Kadima defectors and later join forces with Kon, except that Meir Sheetrit torpedoed the move. At one point, Kon had agreed to join up with Shamalov Berkovich with her heading the party. But he ultimately changed his mind and told her that Ramon insists he head the party.

"If you vote for The Israelis you are essentially voting for Livni and Ramon," Shamalov Berkovich told Israel Hayom. "Their entire goal is to poach votes from Likud-Beytenu."

Hatnuah responded by saying that it is focused on advancing the principles and ideas for which it was founded and will continue to do so within the framework of Hatnuah only.

The Israelis also issued a statement in response to queries from this reporter. "Tzipi Livni did in fact look into the possibility of David Kon joining Hatnuah. Haim Ramon was involved in these negotiations. But the negotiations failed. Haim Ramon did not bring in a single shekel and was never involved in fundraising for the party. There is currently no connection between The Israelis and Hatnuah, headed by Tzipi Livni. In the process of putting together The Israelis, MKs Robert Tiviaev and Marina Solodkin were approached, in an attempt to recruit MKs who are known among the Russian public. Had those two MKs joined, The Israelis would not have been entitled to any cash advance."

טעינו? נתקן! אם מצאתם טעות בכתבה, נשמח שתשתפו אותנו