Evening Update: Political Changes In Israel

Kadima Appears Set To Split As MKs Take Positions In Government

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu appeared to have obtained the seven Kadima MKs needed to bring about a split in the party, in late-night meetings on Sunday.

He has been trying for three years to split Kadima, and his efforts have borne fruit in meetings with its lawmakers over the past two days.

Such a split could help Netanyahu widen his coalition again, pass the 2013 state budget, and avoid early elections.

Past attempts to split Kadima were unsuccessful because they lacked leadership.

But this time, Netanyahu is relying on former minister Tzachi Hanegbi, who is angry at Kadima leader Shaul Mofaz for removing the party from the coalition and who has been trying to persuade seven Kadima MKs to leave together with him to the Likud.

Schneller said the latest the move could take place would be next week.

“I think whoever doesn’t leave this week or next will be stuck in the used-up cigarette butt that Kadima has become,” Schneller said.

Kadima Slams Netanyahu For Attempting To Split The Party

Kadima Party Set To Split, As Members In Talks With Netanyahu Government

Jerusalem Begins Campaign To Out Iran, Hezbollah Terror

Israel launched a campaign Sunday to draw attention to Iran and Hezbollah’s involvement in international terrorism.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu took his case to the US public and Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman announced a trip to Brussels to convince the EU to put Hezbollah on its terror blacklist.

Netanyahu, appearing on two Sunday morning interview programs – CBS’s Face the Nation and Fox News Sunday – said it was clear beyond a doubt that Hezbollah was behindWednesday’s attack in Burgas that left five Israelis and a Bulgarian bus driver dead.

“I know, based on absolutely rock solid intelligence, this is Hezbollah, and this is something Iran knows about very, very well,” he said.

Netanyahu added that Israel knows, without “a shred of doubt,” that the operation was carried out “with the encouragement, at the behest and coordination of Iran.”

Iran and Hezbollah have tried to carry out attacks in 24 countries over the past two years, Netanyahu said.

Now, imagine these people who are capable of doing anything, imagine them possessing nuclear weapons. People who gun down innocent people, who send suicide bombers, who could block the Straits of Iran, who threaten to annihilate Israel, who murder diplomats, who’ve taken over your embassy – you want these people to have atomic bombs? “I think this is a reminder, this wave of terror attacks, that the world’s most dangerous regime must not be allowed to have the world’s most dangerous weapons.”

Assad's Forces Overrun Two Damascus Districts

Syrian troops have driven rebel fighters out of two districts of Damascus a week after the insurgents launched a major assault on the capital.

Government troops retook control of the Damascus neighborhood of Mezzeh on Sunday and executed at least 20 unarmed men who they suspected of aiding rebels, opposition activists in the district said.

Government forces have launched a determined counter-offensive since rebels brought their battle to overthrow Assad to the capital and killed four of the president's closest associates in a bomb attack last Wednesday.

The bombardments in Damascus and Deir al-Zor were some of the fiercest yet and showed Assad's determination to avenge the bomb attack, the most spectacular blow in a 16-month-old uprising against four decades of rule by the Assad family.