Polls open for Labor primaries

Polls opened across Israel for Labor party primary elections Wednesday, in a bid to allow for 100,474 party members to vote for their candidate for party leadership.

However, by 2:30 p.m. only 20 percent of all Labor party members had voted.

The three leadership candidates include party Chairman and Vice Premier Shimon Peres, National Infrastructures Minister Binyamin Ben Eliezer; and MK Amir Peretz, who have all cast their ballots.

Peres began the morning by voting in the Ramat Aviv district of north Tel Aviv, and expressed optimism to reporters, saying: "The party must move forward. There's a good team."

Speaking about Amir Peretz, Peres said, "He's trying to cause a revolution and turn a big party into a small party. "

Shortly afterwards, an amusing meeting between Peres and Ben Eliezer took place in a Ramat Gan poll. The two candidates shook hands and wished each other success in the elections.

Later, during a visit to a voting station in Giv'atayim, Peres insisted that the Labor party was "attractive for youngsters," while an elderly audience cheered him and called "Peres, you are number one."

A few incidents clouded the atmosphere in this voting station, when long-time members discovered they were not registered to vote.

Ben Eliezer votes (Photo courtesy of the Labor magazine)

Yossef Gantz, a party member since 1948, who came to support Peres, was surprised to realize his name was not on the voters list.

"My name is not on the list, and I don't know what happened. They erased me from the list, so that I can't vote for Shimon," he said sadly.

Another Labor veteran, Tova Linderman, complained she was also "wiped out" of the list.

In Kfar Saba Peres was greeted with applause and welcomed by former Prime Minister Ehud Barak. The two shook hands, and Barak said: "WE need Peres, because the battle now is over leadership of the government. The Likud is breaking down, and Shimon is the most experienced and qualified candidate."

Amir Peretz cast his ballot in Sderot together with his wife. Around 1,200 people eligible to vote cast their ballot in Sderot, and Peretz said he believed that the city had one of the highest primaries participation rate.

The candidate was warmly received by friends, activists, and many residents – who are Likud supporters who came to greet him and cheer him on. Peretz was highly amused by the latter's warm reception.

Peres casts his ballot (Photo: Yaron Brenner)

He said: "There will me those who support Matan Vilnai who will be angry about the humiliating deal he reached with Peres (in which Vilnai dropped out of the race and instructed his supporters to back Peres)."

Peretz added that he was confident of his victory, and spoke of ethnicity.

"The first thing I'll do tonight after I am voted in (as leader) is do away with the ethnic demon. I'm going to unify all of the forces in the party, and the first thing I will do is notify the prime minister of the resignation of the Labor party (from the coalition) and the ending of relations with the Likud. We've decided to be a proud party. If Sharon goes to new elections – great, and if not – we'll raise a majority for bringing forward elections."

Amir Peretz in Sderot polling station (Photo: Tsafrir Abayov)

Binyamin Ben Eliezer cast his ballot in Rishon Letzion, and appeared to be very merry. After leaving the booth Ben Eliezer said he was optimistic.

"I'm not excited by these elections, I've been a minister six times. I'm excited by the fact that a new, historic window of opportunity has opened because of what happened with the Likud. Labor's next leader will be the one who decides whether we get second place or whether we beat Sharon," he said.

When he arrived at the booth to vote, Ben Eliezer was met with lone supporters wearing red shirts.

One supporter shouted: "Leave the government, you promised you would leave the government after the disengagement."

According to estimates, the fine weather forecast for Wednesday morning will boost participation, and encourage elderly Peres supporters to make their way to the polls.

Shmulik Haddad and Miri Chason contributed to this report