Kadima denies split

[bemildred]

Israel’s ruling party denied yesterday that it was split on whether to negotiate further West Bank pullouts with the Palestinians, saying it was committed to talks if it had an acceptable partner.

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“As a matter of fact, we would all like to have an agreed solution to the misery that we are living,” said Reichman, who is sixth on the party list for March 28 elections.

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Earlier this month the former intelligence service chief Avi Dichter, expected to be handed a top cabinet post provided Kadima is re-elected, said the party would begin work on a new round of unilateral pullouts from parts of the West Bank immediately after the election.

But his comments were rebuffed by the number two on the party’s slate, former centre-left premier Shimon Peres, who insisted on negotiations with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and the international community.

Bahrain Tribune