Tel Aviv  - Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni won a narrow victory Thursday in the leadership primary of Israel's ruling Kadima party, and said she hoped to build a coalition as soon as possible, but her chances of becoming the country's next premier were far from certain.

Livni will replace as Kadima leader discredited prime minister Ehud Olmert, who announced in July he was quitting the party leadership and then the premiership, because of ongoing investigations against him for alleged corruption.

Tel Aviv (Israel), Sept. 18: A mother of two, who is also the country’s foreign minister, is poised to become Israel’s second woman Prime Minister.

Tzipi Livni, 50, has been voted the leader of Israel’s ruling Kadima Party.

According to The Telegraph, Livni effectively claimed victory in the governing Kadima party''s leadership vote on Wednesday.

"You have fought like lions. The best have won," she told a jubilant crowd in Tel Aviv.

"I will do my utmost not to disappoint you. I want to do what''s best for the country," she said after exit polls showed her taking about 48 percent and a 10-point lead over her closest rival in the party vote to replace Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

Tel Aviv - Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni won a narrow victory in the leadership primary of Israel's ruling Kadima party, defeating her main rival, Transport Minister Shaul Mofaz, by only a handful of votes, results announced before dawn Thursday indicated.

Livni must now try and from a governing coalition to replace that headed by discredited premier Ehud Olmert, who announced in July he was quitting the party leadership and then the premiership, because of ongoing investigations against him for alleged corruption.

Tel Aviv - Tzipi Livni, winner of the leadership contest in Israel's ruling Kadima party, said Thursday morning she will work to set up a governing coalition as soon as possible, to ensure stability.

"We have to deal with threats which are not simple," she told supporters at sunrise, shortly after she was declared winner of the bitterly-contested leadership primary.

Livni, currently Israel's foreign minister, called on Kadima to close ranks, saying the responsibility she now held was not just hers alone, but that of everyone.

Tel Aviv - Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni won a narrow victory in the leadership primary of Israel's Kadima party, defeating her main rival, Transport Minister Shaul Mofaz, by only a handful of votes, Israel Radio reported early Thursday morning.

Livni won with 43.1 per cent, compared to 42 per cent for Mofaz, a difference of only 431 votes.

Tel Aviv - Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni is leading over her main rival, Shaul Mofaz, in the primaries of Israel's ruling Kadima party, first results show.

With some 10 per cent of the votes counted by midnight, Livni stands at 53.1 per cent of the vote, against 31.7 for Transportation Minister Mofaz.

The other two candidates, Interior Minister Meir Sheetrit and Public Security Minister Avi Dichter, have thus far obtained 10.3 per cent and 4.8 per cent of the vote respectively, Israel Radio reported.