The event will be held under the banner ‘For the sake of Israel, we must unite.’
By GIL HOFFMANEhud Barak speaks at a press conference with his Israel Democratic Party.(photo credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI/MAARIV)
Former PM Ehud Barak will host an event in Savion on Wednesday night in which he promises to bring together Labor party activists angry with the leadership of new chairman Amir Peretz.The event will be held under the banner ‘For the sake of Israel, we must unite.’The activists are upset that Peretz decided to merge Labor with the social issues focused Gesher party of MK Orly Levi Abecassis instead of Meretz and Barak’s Israel Democratic Party.MKs Stav Shaffir and Itzik Shmuli both support a Left-wing merger. It was unclear on Wednesday if they would attend Barak’s event or the launching of the Labor campaign in Tel Aviv, which is set to take place at the same time. Channel 13 reported that a late-night meeting between Barak and Meretz MK Essawi Frej in which Barak agreed to let Meretz leader Nitzan Horowitz head the list was mediated by Shaffir.The meeting took place at the home of Israel Democratic Party candidate Noa Rothman, who is the grandaughter of Labor Party prime minister Yitzhak Rabin and went on for some nine hours. One of the decisions was made was that Meretz MKs would receive preferential treatment on the joint list.Channel 12 reported that among the agreements is that Barak would be tenth on the list but would have first pick of portfolios if the party enters a coalition.Barak explained his concession by saying that what matters is not who heads the list but whether Netanyahu remains prime minister."We don't have time to waste on games of ego," Barak said. "Our most urgent mission is to unite."Horowitz downplayed the reports of progress in the negotiations, saying "we are a serious party that insists on the values we represent being maintained."
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