"Yacimovich must do some soul searching," says Environmental Protection Minister Amir Peretz.
By GIL STERN STERN HOFFMAN
Former Labor Party leader Amir Peretz, in an interview on Tuesday, appeared to take credit for MK Isaac Herzog winning his former post.Peretz left Labor for Tzipi Livni’s Hatnua party due to a dispute with Herzog’s opponent in the race, then-Labor leader Shelly Yacimovich.But during the campaign, he repeatedly denied interfering in the election on Herzog’s behalf.He changed his tone Tuesday when he told the Walla News website that “those who are identified with me helped Herzog, and that is very clear.”Peretz’s brother, sister, and brother-in-law actively campaigned for Herzog. Peretz himself did not actively take part in the election, but he made his preference against Yacimovich known.“Yacimovich must do some soul-searching,” Peretz said.“Now everyone can see that I was right that a party cannot work amid constant bickering.She caused the antagonism and that decided the race.”Peretz said that following Herzog’s victory, Hatnua and Labor could cooperate in a way they could not before.He would not rule out the two parties running on a joint list as part of a larger Center-Left bloc in the next election.
Meanwhile, Herzog received a boost Monday when IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz’s son Nadav joined the party.Nadav is an active soldier in the Paratroop Brigade, but the IDF does not prevent its soldiers from joining a political party.