Labor-Gesher-Meretz set to try to bolster Gantz’s hand
Each of the three called on Blue and White to avoid attacking their party and to avoid cannibalizing them for more votes.
By YONAH JEREMY BOBAmir Perezt voted in Sderot on Monday, together with his wife Ahlama Peretz(photo credit: LABOR-GESHER-MERETZ SPOKESPERSON)
From the latest polls and the mostly calm tone set by Labor-Gesher-Meretz on Monday, the awkward alliance on the Left appeared set to win around 8 to 10 seats on Monday.With an outside shot at matching their combined 11-seat total from the last election (at press time there were reports of much higher than expected voting levels, but no one knew for which party) the expected slight drop did not seem to unnerve the party leaders as their collective survival was assured. This was something that might have been in jeopardy absent their decision to unify.The loudest angst on Monday from Labor leader Amir Peretz, Gesher leader Orly Levy-Abecassis and Meretz leader Nitzan Horowitz was directed at the Blue and White Party.Each of the three called on Blue and White to avoid attacking their party and to avoid cannibalizing them for more votes.They all said since they had made it clear they would support Blue and White leader Benny Gantz for prime minister, there was no need to try to pilfer them for votes.Finally, they claimed a small victory in getting the Central Election Commission to fine Shas NIS 7,500 for illegal campaigning in offering magical promises to voters.If their joint effort wins only eight seats, then only three Labor MKs would enter the Knesset. That would be only half of the six they won in the last election and a far cry from the 24 they had just over a year ago when Avi Gabbay lost much of the party’s base to Blue and White.For six Labor party MKs to enter the Knesset, they would need to win 13 seats, something polls suggest they are not even close to approaching.In contrast, the deal likely paid off for Meretz, which was truly in danger of falling under the election threshold of winning a minimum of four seats.Meretz will likely only have three MKs in the Knesset, but it will live on to the next election cycle when its prospects might improve.Levy-Abecassis will be Gesher’s only MK in the Knesset, but this is also a success of sorts since there were points where it seemed Peretz might end their alliance, leaving her to toss in the wind.Beside losing voters to Blue and White’s Gantz, Gabbay alienated the Right, the Left and women in general when he fired Tzipi Livni live in January 2019 without even warning her in advance.Peretz’s inability to get along with Stav Shaffir led her to jump ship from Labor to Meretz and the subsequent Labor-Meretz deal then led to Shaffir being dropped, which may also have hurt the party.Shaffir has hinted she may return down the road leading the Green Party.
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