Shaul Mofaz. Photo: Sgt. Andy Dunaway, U.S. Air Force.

Shaul Mofaz, the Israeli Kadima party’s new chairmain who recently entered a unity government with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Likud, said he is “not afraid to say it out oud” that Kadima was “on its way down” in a possible early election before the deal with Netanyahu was reached.

“The predicament in which Kadima finds itself is the result of more than three years of mismanagement under Tzipi Livni,” Mofaz said in an interview with Israel Hayom published Friday. “We have gotten to this point because of her. Until now, we haven’t dealt with any issues of substance despite the fact that we were the largest party in the Knesset.”

“Entering the coalition now stems from our intention to promote key items on the national agenda, and it’s not motivated by ministerial posts and other jobs,” he said.