By GIL HOFFMANBlue and White leader Benny Gantz and Labor chairman Amir Peretz meeting on March 11, 2020(photo credit: Courtesy)
The Labor Party's executive committee approved entering the government on Wednesday night ahead of an unprecedented digital convention on Sunday that will make the final decision.The executive committee is made of mostly of party chairman Amir Peretz's loyalists.Peretz and MK Itzik Shmuli are expected to speak in favor of joining at the convention and MK Merav Michaeli and former MK Michal Biran will speak against entering the coalition. Biran sent Labor's leadership a letter on Wednesday saying that the short notice for the convention was "political thievery."Peretz said in radio interviews on Wednesday that if the convention decides against entering the government, he will accept the decision of the party. He called on Michaeli to make a similar vow."I want the Labor Party to return to the center of public service," Peretz said. "When the socioeconomic crisis is at its peak, I could not stand aside."Michaeli said Labor members "should not buy the political spin" of Peretz."Entering Netanyahu's government would not change anything, " she said. "All it would do is keep Netanyahu in power and expedite the destructive annexation of Judea and Samaria, which would endanger Israel's security. I will continue my struggle to save Labor from the extinction that my colleagues in the faction want to bring about."Peretz indicated in an Army Radio interview that he, “would not oppose Gush Etzion being part of the State of Israel.” Gush Etzion Regional Council Head Shlomo Ne’eman praised Peretz for the remarks, which were also made in the past by former Labor leader Isaac Herzog.“We are pleased with the statement issued by the future minister and head of the Labor Party, Amir Peretz," Ne’eman said. "In our view, this is a valuable statement that recognizes that the communities of Judea and Samaria are an integral part of the State of Israel."
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