Efforts led by newly elected Labor party leader MK Amir Peretz to unite the left-wing/centrist camp continue. According to reports, a number of meetings were held with Meretz party leaders as well as with Ehud Barak, who recently made his political comeback, and former minister Tzipi Livni, all towards creating a bloc to unseat Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.

On Monday, July 8, 2019, Peretz met with Meretz leader Nitzan Horowitz, and the meeting was described as “positive” with the two agreeing to maintain communications. Peretz announced he also used the opportunity to congratulate Horowitz on being elected chairman of the party.

Speaking on Monday to Nechama Dwek on Radio 90, Ehud Barak stated, “I have no problem being number two with Amir Peretz. I am working towards forming a large bloc to oust Netanyahu,” signaling a true willingness to combine lists towards achieving the goal of unseating the prime minister.

Speaking to Galei Tzahal (Army Radio) later in the day, Peretz stated that he does not have a problem combining with Barak, but first, “the matter must be probed from the electoral and ideological points of view”.

On Thursday, July 11th, Peretz is scheduled to meet with Tzipi Livni, who headed The Movement party before announcing her retirement from politics. She is currently in NYC.

Blue and White party chairman, MK Benny Gantz, met on Sunday with Peretz in the Tel Aviv Convention Center. He congratulated Peretz on his win in the party primaries. The two agreed to keep the line of communications open between them.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)