Labor-led bloc with Livni, Peretz to get new name

The Labor Party intends to run together with former ministers Tzipi Livni, Amir Peretz and Shaul Mofaz under a new name in the March 17 election, Labor faction chairman Eitan Cabel said on Monday. Labor will keep its party name, but the broader Center- Left bloc will run under a new name. Labor took a similar step the last time it won an election, in 1999, when its then-leader Ehud Barak joined forces with the Gesher and Meimad parties under the name One Israel. “Labor is returning to be the ruling party,” party chairman Isaac Herzog told his faction. “It is time to set our egos aside. Let's all work together as a bloc.” Channel 10 reported on Monday night that backbench Labor MKs have threatened Herzog to break off from the party and run separately because they are angry at him for reserving slots for Livni, Peretz, Mofaz and MK Amram Mitzna. Herzog told The Jerusalem Post that the report was “delusional” and said there was no chance of there being such a threat from the five lawmakers (a third of its MKs) required by law to split the party. Hatnua officials said no deal with Labor had been finalized and there was still a chance Hatnua chairwoman Livni could join forces with Yesh Atid instead. Livni was set to meet on Monday with Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid. Officials in both Hatnua and Yesh Atid would not confirm that they met. A source close to Lapid said the former finance minister was in constant contact with Livni, while Education Minister Shai Piron grumbled that he “does not talk about such things.” “We're going to elections because our prime minister fears his ministers,” Livni told her faction. “This is the opportunity to replace him ahead of big decisions for Israel.”

Labor-led bloc with Livni, Peretz to get new name

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Labor-led bloc with Livni, Peretz to get new name

“We’re going to elections because our prime minister fears his ministers,” Livni tells faction.

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