'Only I can beat Bibi'

Ehud Barak - Matter of experience

Dear friends,

We are facing a genuine decision that will determine the future path of the State of Israel and the Labor party's character. At this time, each and every one of you must ask themselves which candidate can defeat Benjamin Netanyahu in the general elections? Who would you want to see at a time of war? and who would have the courage to pursue peace.

I am convinced that the Labor party has a real chance to go back to leading the country in a more appropriate way. In order to win the general elections we must be led by a person with proven experience and maturity when it comes to national leadership - a person who unites around him a party leadership that works for the sake of social, diplomatic and security commitment in the spirit of our movement's basic values: Values that I am committed to in whatever I do and wherever I go.

I turn to the logic, emotions, and civic responsibility of each and every one of you: We have no choice but to win these elections. This is our test, the time where we must outdo ourselves, unite, and work together with complete determination in order to ensure that the day after we bring the Labor party back to power, together; we will bring about, together, the sought-after change in the State of Israel, and we will lead, together, the chance and hope for a better and safer future for all of us.

With accumulated experience and maturity when it comes to national and security leadership, with a proven ability to beat Bibi, and with excellent colleagues around me - I am the person standing before you today, an integral part of the Labor party, and ask for your support.

I thank the thousands of friends who elected me in the first round, respect those who chose to vote for other candidates, and call on all our members: Come out to vote and unite around me. Together we shall act and win!

Ami Ayalon - Journey or renewal

Dear party members,

The second round of the Labor party leadership primaries gives you the power to bring about a Labor renewal. I call on you to hit the polls and decide in favor of new hope for the entire Israeli public. The choice is sharp and clear: Deciding between new leadership that would renew the public trust in Labor and bring it back to power and the old and alienated leadership, which has failed and brought us down to the current situation.

I commit myself to presenting a new kind of leadership - leadership that is committed to integrity, modesty, and teamwork. Leadership that is able to ask the right questions and formulate the answers together. Energetic leadership that would bring results and views public service as its objective. Leadership that would rehabilitate the IDF and defense establishment, determine red lines, and will not compromise on advancing the diplomatic process, full partnership in the budgetary plan, and the boosting of education and research funding.

Only a leader that would be able to unite all the excellent forces in the party around him and facilitate teamwork would be able to succeed. This is the only way to bring Kadima voters back home, defeat Netanyahu, and bring the Labor party back to power.

Therefore, I call on you to hit the polls today and elect a unifying and sharing leadership that would lead to renewal and unite the ranks, while putting an end to the atmosphere of ostracism, factionalism, and arrogance.

I am committed to leading a social party that is genuinely obligated to the Labor movement's values - to act in an effort to boost education funding, legislate a mandatory pension law for all citizens, minimize social gaps, increase the "health basket" of subsidized medications, and of course, strengthen the kibbutzim and moshavim movement.

The Labor party will regain power only if it is able to present a broad and united leadership. The kind of leadership that represents all of Israeli society's strata - kibbutzim and moshavim, development towns, center and periphery, young and veteran. Such leadership would renew the public trust in the Labor party and bring it back to power.

The decision in the polls could be the determining factor in Labor's journey of renewal and victory vis-a-vis the Likud and Netanyahu. Give me your support so we can win together.