Honor long gone: Peres
Photo: Yaron Brenner
Relevant voice: Peretz
Photo: Tsafrir Abayov
A Moroccan to head Labor?
The Labor elite can't stand the thought of a Sephardi party head
The truth must told: Our Ashkenazi brothers in the Labor Party can't stomach the thought that a dark-skinned Moroccan, with a thick mustache to boot, could possibly lead the party.
Choosing a leader
Attila Somfalvi
Polls: Peres ahead in party’s primaries race; Peretz victory would bring down government
At the moment of truth, they all folded and fell in behind the Old Man. They are trying to stop the clock. Anything but change.
It's obvious. Most people harbor a deep-rooted fear of change.
Once had a dream
But the Labor Party is sick. It's got a chronic disease, but refuses to die. At the same time, it refuses to live. It desperately needs change.
How many people I know well will vote today for the Labor Party today! Once we sat together, Ashkenazim and Sephardim, dreaming of revolution within the party. Together, we hoped, planned, and looked for ways to turn this faltering party into a real political force, offering a real alternative to the existing government.
Together, we discussed ways to change the face of the Labor Party, ways to bring quality young people into the party and to fight our revulsion from politics and politicians.
We talked about beating apathy and despair and corruption. We wanted a real voice in the party, influence and to make our lives here in Israel better, for ourselves and for our children.
We tried to find original ways to meld the old with the new, and we all agreed it was time to rid ourselves of Shimon Peres. His time has passed; we just didn't know just who to should take his place. It's a real crisis of leadership. We'd hoped to find new blood before we, too, get old.
It's unbelievable, but the same people who came seeking real change will stand today at the voting booth to vote for a man whose honor, like his shame, are long gone. It is complete insanity.
Backwards Peretz?
On the other hand, I can imagine how all this happened - the process by which they changed their minds and abandoned their demands for radical change – because they've had enough of the bureaucratic politics of the Labor Party – to adopt a conservative, fearful position.
And when I ask for reasons, they mumble, "I don't want to see Amir Peretz head the party." And when I ask why not, I hear, "Amir Peretz will send the party backwards, to the days of (now-defunct Labor predecessor) Mapai."
And we are left with a paradox: The archaic Peres, well into his 80s, is perceived as modern and enlightened, while Peretz, a man in his 50s, full of life, at the height of his strength and energy, a man who represents action, a representative who is relevant and modern, in all areas – political, social and economic- and who brought new color and fresh voice to the Labor Party, is viewed as someone who will drive the party backwards. Amazing.
It's incredible how when the moment of truth arrives, all of kinds of excuses suddenly appear to explain how and why the representative from Sderot, who speaks loud and clear and with a terrific accent, will drive the party backwards. He's primitive, no?
Ethinic ghost
Without question, they will say: Peretz sent Abutbul to raise the ethnic ghost (as if Abutbul must certainly not have capable of independent thought. How could he? He's primitive, no?)
But it's not true. Peretz couldn't, and wouldn't want, to bring up the ethnic issue.
My brothers: you Ashkenazim have an ethnic ghost to deal with. He jumps and disrupts, warns and threatens, every time that Peretz, or any other Sephardi comes close to a real place of influence in the party.
Maybe this time you won't be afraid of change. Don't be afraid of the black man.
Actor Alon Abutbul is a member of the Labor Party
