The star of the Likud´s anti-Mofaz campaign will be none other than... Shaul Mofaz, Likud MKs said Monday.

During Mofaz´s maiden speech to the Knesset as opposition leader Monday, Likud MK Danny Danon distributed copies of a letter Mofaz sent to Likud members when he was running for leadership of the party on December 5, 2005. He quit the party and defected to Kadima less than a week later.

In the letter, Mofaz promised to safeguard Jewish settlements and criticized then-prime minister Ariel Sharon for leaving Likud to form Kadima with Labor MKs Shimon Peres, Dalia Itzik and Haim Ramon.

"The Likud under my leadership will present our nationalist outlook: Maintaining Israel´s national and strategic assets, seeing diplomatic negotiations as a tool to achieve security for the citizens, and conditioning advancement in the negotiations on stopping terror," he wrote. "I am completely obligated to the development and settlement of Judea and Samaria, Jordan Valley, Golan Heights, and of course, keeping Jerusalem united and whole as Israel´s eternal capital."

Mofaz wrote that he was offered to maintain the Defense portfolio he held at the time if he would jump ship to Kadima but he decided to reject the offer and remain in Likud.

"I won´t leave my home," he wrote. "I intend to remain in Likud under any circumstance and fight for its path."

Mofaz, who has tried to present himself lately as a socioeconomic leader, wrote in the letter that the Likud had the best socioeconomic policies and that he intended to advance the socioeconomic ideology of the Likud´s former prime minister Menachem Begin.

Danon tried to read the letter aloud to Mofaz as the new Kadima leader addressed the MKs. Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin stopped Danon and told him that if he wanted to read the letter, he could call a press conference.

"Mofaz lacks an identity, values, and a political spine," Danon said. "This letter reveals Mofaz´s true face." (© 1995-2011, The Jerusalem Post 04/03/12)