MK Yossi Sarid to announce resignation

Senior Knesset member and former Meretz party leader set to announce resignation from Knesset and retirememt from political life
Ynet reporters

One of the Knesset's most senior and experienced members MK Yossi Sarid (Meretz-Yahad) is expected to announce his resignation from the Knesset and retirement from political life, Israel's leading newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported Thursday.

According to the report, Sarid will hold a press conference in Tel Aviv Friday to publicly announce his decision.

Sarid has been toying with the idea for some time now and in recent months the issue has been raised on more than one occasion, especially after Labor MKs Avraham Shochat and Amram Mitzna announced their resignation several weeks ago.

Furthermore, following the election of Yossi Beilin as Meretz party leader it was clear that Sarid would not remain in the party for much longer.

'Sarid retired years ago'

Yossi Sarid unofficially retired after the previous elections, former Meretz Chairman Shulamit Aloni said in response to the senior party member's expected announcement.

"He announced his withdrawal from leadership after the last elections, and since then has operated within Meretz as a separate faction, so his resignation comes as no surprise. He already stopped leading a long time ago, " Aloni said.

"His decision to take up teaching after so many years is a good one. It has been said before – there is no man who cannot be replaced," she added.

The former party leader lauded newly-elected Labor Chairman Amir Peretz, and said that "he already won his first victory by succeeding to shake the entire political system. People have started talking about humanistic values, instead of focusing only on the security situation and the Palestinians."

"Sharon is an illusion, given the acts he has performed in the occupied territories and Jerusalem, and against the Bedouins and other minorities," she said.

Aloni also referred to the current crisis in the Meretz party, with polls predicting only five Knesset seats in upcoming elections.

"There are many things Meretz can and should do and that Labor has neglected: Acting against religious coercion and promoting equal rights to all citizens, including Arabs, Bedouins, Druze and women. Labor has done nothing to advance these issues," Aloni said.