A week ahead of the Kadima primaries on March 27, the centrist party is the scene of a head-to-head battle between party chairman and ex-foreign minister Tzipi Livni, and former defence minister Shaul Mofaz, who is vying to take the party reins from Ms Livni.

The primaries have also been shaken up by a decision made on Monday by the head of the party's election committee Judge Edna Beckenstein to remove from the Kadima party 450 people who are also members of the centre-left Labour party.

A spokesperson for Kadima said that the move was a routine procedure. Nonetheless, there has been speculation that it could benefit Mr Mofaz, who is seen as more hawkish than Ms Livni.