By SHARON UDASIN
12/07/2012

Party head: “An independent election run was not as promising an alternative for reaching our collective goal.”

Following days of internal debate, the Green Movement headed by Prof. Alon Tal has decided to join Tzipi Livni’s Knesset list, Tal told The Jerusalem Post on Thursday.

“After deep consideration the joint leadership of the party reached the conclusion that the interest of the party is best served by joining a larger party with whom we identify and which could guarantee to us supporters from the central part of the political map,” Tal said.

Green Movement’s decision followed back-and-forth discussion on what Tal described as “a very difficult strategic decision.”

Only Wednesday evening, the party had announced that it was not, in fact, joining Livni’s list, and would either run independently or with other parties whose agendas matched those of the Green Movement.

“Clearly there are advantages on both sides,” Tal told the Post. “But there was unanimity among the party leadership that this was the smart and responsible political decision.”

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As party head, Tal will probably receive spot No. 13 on Livni’s list, he said.

“Supporting the Green Movement would in no way involve supporting the ruling Likud party,” Tal continued, stressing that votes for the Green Movement would not be “lost” by providing support to this centrist ticket.

“Given the short time available, an independent election run was not as promising an alternative for reaching our collective goal – Knesset representation for Israel’s green party,” he said.

http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPolitics/Article.aspx?id=294982