Israel's Netanyahu asks main opposition party to join government

Jerusalem - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu invited opposition leader Tzipi Livni Thursday to bring her centrist Kadima party into a national unity government, to help Israel face national and international problems. The offer, which was made after the two met in Tel Aviv Thursday afternoon, would see Kadima receive several ministries without portfolio in the government, which is dominated by right-wing and nationalist parties.

Livni was quoted as saying the that if offer was serious it was open for discussion, but the decision to join the government was not her to make alone, but had to be settled by her party leadership.

Netanyahu's offer comes as Livni finds her leadership of her party under increasing attack, with legislators openly criticizing her leadership style.

Reports in the Israeli media in the past few days said Netanyahu has been actively courting Kadima legislators to get them to leave the party and join his right-wing Likud faction. He reportedly offered them government and non-governmental positions as an incentive to defect.

Senior Kadima front-bench legislator Shaul Mofaz, who unsuccessfully challenged Livni last year for the party leadership, told reporters Thursday that "Kadima is falling apart" and said a new leadership primary needed to be held.

Kadima was formed in late 2005 when former Israeli Premier Ariel Sharon and several senior legislators bolted the Likud, following a revolt against the then-prime minister over his decision to withdraw Israeli troops and settlers from the Gaza Strip.

After Sharon was felled by a massive stroke, his close political ally Ehud Olmert took over the party leadership, and led it to victory in the 2006 elections. Livni secured the party top spot once Olmert resigned in late 2008, amid a host of corruption charges.

Under her leadership, the party won one more seat than the Likud in the elections in February 2009, but Netanyahu was appointed prime minister after Livni was unable to put together a governing coalition.

When forming his government after the elections, Netanyahu was unable to convince Livni to bring her party into the coalition.