Ben-Eliezer: Labor must sit in the coalition

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Infrastructures Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, of Labor, said Wednesday that the party needed to sit in the coalition following its disappointing showing in Tuesday's general election. "The election results reflect the public's will, and therefore, Labor must fight again for its place in Israeli society. Such a fight can only be waged from the opposition, by turning Labor into a battling alternative to the political and socioeconomic agenda," he said in a statement, adding that he had informed Labor leader Ehud Barak of his view. "Unfortunately, a large portion of our supporters believed Kadima's false campaign and in its ability to form a coalition," continued Ben-Eliezer. "Not only did this harm the Left-of-Center bloc, but it also looks like it will lead to [Likud leader Binyamin] Netanyahu's rise to power."