He was a member of the Likud for almost 20 years, until he followed Sharon to Kadima • On Monday he announced his return, yet some Likud activists remain unimpressed, saying they will never forget how he once abandoned them.

Seven years after leaving the Likud, Tzachi Hanegbi announced on Monday that he is returning to his political home. "Unfortunately, Kadima´s leadership no longer represents my position," he wrote on his Facebook page on Monday. "During the last few days I´ve been involved in a move that has generated a lot of harsh criticism— some legitimate, some hateful and malicious," he said on his page.

Hanegbi explained his involvement in the recent Kadima defections, saying, "Following Kadima Chairman Shaul Mofaz´s decision to disband the current unity government, I took part in convincing as many of my friends from Kadima as possible to support the government and aid Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to pass a law that better distributes the national burden by August 1. Only a few Kadima MKs seemed ready to do so, which is why the proposed draft law will not pass. The chances of passing the state budget are also slim, and it is likely that we will soon find ourselves in the midst on another election."

Hanegbi also reflected on the controversy that led up to Kadima quitting the coalition, by saying, "The disagreement over the draft age, punitive measures against draft dodgers and when to implement relevant government decisions are all very important, but the real debate is between an inclusive approach and a populist one. Unlike speculation propagated by the media, as someone who has been involved with the negotiations [between Kadima and the Likud], I can say that the prime minister is intent on addressing the demands of the secular public, even at the cost of putting a further strain on his relationship with his haredi partners. To put it mildly, I did not see a similar flexibility with our [Kadima´s] representatives in the negotiations."

Hanegbi referred to Mofaz by saying, "His decision to force Israel into an early election in order to marginally improve his own public image is outrageously irresponsible. This is not the statesmanship displayed by Ariel Sharon when he first formed Kadima, quite the opposite: It is a blatant example of choosing partisan interests over any other consideration."

Mofaz told Army Radio on Tuesday that Hanegbi´s connection to Netanyahu is linked to his support for a possible Israeli attack against Iran, Army Radio reported.

"There wasn´t only bribery and profiteering here, but worse - profiterring at the cost of the holiest of holies of the country´s security," Mofaz said.

In an interview to Army Radio on Tuesday, Hanegbi rejected the speculation that Netanyahu is looking to bolster his current government in case he decides to attack Iran. "This is fiction," he said.

Hanegbi also responded in the interview to Mofaz´s comments on Monday that he "refused to take part in an operation that would risk the citizens of Israel." Hanegbi criticized Mofaz, and said his comments show "a lack of restraint and self control by someone who was once an IDF chief of staff and defense minister."

Hanegbi defended his role in the failed defection, saying, "My intentions were good and honorable and I regret that my efforts failed to provide political stability to the government during a time of critical decision-making."

While Hanegbi is expected to secure one of the top slots on the Likud list ahead of the next Knesset elections, not all Likud members await his return. "We won´t forget how he left us for Kadima," a party activist has said.

Hanegbi was a Likud member for almost 20 years. Both his parents were prominent right-wingers: his mother, Geula Cohen, is a former Likud member, and his father Emanuel was a top commander in the pre-state militant Lehi organization. In 2005, when then-Prime Minister and Likud leader Ariel Sharon left Likud to form Kadima, Hanegbi went with him.

Hanegbi´s return to the Likud also raises the issue of his 2010 conviction for committing perjury to the Central Elections Committee. Though his conviction is considered a crime with moral turpitude, it does not prevent him from running in the next elections, since Hanegbi was not sentenced to any prison time or community service.