Tzipi Livni Kadima the most seats in the Knesset, parties to the right in Israel's political spectrum gained enough seats that a coalition government under Kadima leadership was unlikely. As a result, Israeli president Shimon Peres asked Netanyahu and Likud (which received one fewer seat than Kadima in the elections) to form a government; this was the first time in Israel's history that the party with the most seats was not asked to attempt to form a government. "The New York Times" commended Livni for "refusing the extortionist conditions set by Shas," and endorsed her candidacy for prime minister, saying Israelis would
Tzipi Livni party members to support a Druze candidate instead because he thought it important for Likud to have Arab representation. Livni served in the IDF, gaining rank of lieutenant. Livni began studying law at Bar-Ilan University in 1979, but suspended her law studies when she joined the Mossad in 1980. She served in the Mossad from 1980 to 1984, between the ages of 22 and 26. According to an interview in "Yedioth Ahronoth" described in "The Sunday Times", she served in the elite unit responsible for Operation Wrath of God. She resigned from the Mossad in August 1983 to marry and