Peretz says he regrets taking Defense portfolio

Former Labor chairman Amir Peretz admitted that taking the Defense portfolio was a mistake in an interview with Yediot Aharonot published Thursday. Peretz said he should have fought more for the Finance portfolio. Describing the "disrespectful" way his successor as Labor leader, Ehud Barak, ousted him from the Defense Ministry, Peretz said, "I don't know what causes Barak to humiliate people that way." Peretz also accused Social Affairs Minister Isaac Herzog and Agriculture Minister Shalom Simhon of scheming behind his back and said he regretted not doing enough to keep President Shimon Peres in the Labor Party.