By USA News Group (Originally in English)
Ms. Tzipi Livni is the Foreign Affairs Minister of Israel. On September 17, Golden Year 5 (2008), Ms. Livni won the leadership of the main Kadima party in Israel’s governing coalition. She is now calling for a general election early in 2009 and if elected, will become Israel’s second female Prime Minister and first-ever vegetarian Prime Minister. Born and raised in Tel Aviv, Ms. Livni graduated from law school at Bar-Ilan University. She speaks Hebrew, English and French. She is a strict vegetarian out of concern for animal rights. Her childhood friend said that she was principled even when she was young and she turned vegetarian when she was 12 years old and has been ever since. A true animal lover, she helped pass a bill that bans force-feeding of geese in Israel. On January 1, 2008, she participated in the first Animal Rights Day, which is marked by Knesset (Israeli parliament) as a day without meat in its restaurants. This noble activity was organized by the admirable Israeli organization, Anonymous for Animal Rights. The day’s events included a discussion of 10 bills promoting animal protection and a meat-free day in Knesset restaurants. More than one quarter of Israel's parliament members, including Ms. Livni, signed The Declaration of Animal Rights. After a successful career as a lawyer and serving as a lieutenant in the Israel Defense Forces, she entered parliament in1999. Since then, she has filled a number of ministerial positions, including the Minister of Justice; Minister of Agriculture and Development; Minister of Regional Development; and others. Her popularity has soared with ordinary Israelis as she is perceived as an honest and eloquent politician. The current belief among numerous Middle East observers is that Ms. Livni will be willing to move forward with the stagnating peace process with the Palestinians and that she favors a two-state solution. In 2005, Ms. Livni helped broker Israel’s withdrawal from the Gaza strip. In 2006, she told the New York Times: “I believe, like my parents, in the right of the Jewish people to the entire land of Israel. But I was also raised to preserve Israel as a homeland for the Jewish people and [to preserve] democratic values. So choosing between my dreams, and my need to live in democracy, I prefer to give up some of the land.” Ms. Livni also has indicated that she would be in favor of re-launching peace talks with Syria. In 2007, Ms. Livni was included in Time’s “100 Most Influential People in the World” and in 2008, Forbes.com ranked her as the 52nd most powerful woman in the world. We wish Her Excellency Tzipi Livni
all the best in her endeavors to better the country of Israel, bring
peace to the Mideast region and protect and care for our beloved
animal co-inhabitants. |
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