Peretz: Barak will destroy Labor Party
Conflict between former, current party chairmen ignites as Peretz attacks Barak for running party like classroom, heading it towards destruction. Barak remains certain Labor can overcome hurdles
Internal conflicts within the Labor Party are accelerating. Following Knesset Member Ephraim Sneh’s resignation from the Labor Party, former party Chairman Amir Peretz on Monday harshly criticized the party’s conduct and its chairman, Defense Minister Ehud Barak.
“The Labor Party chairman is running his party like a classroom, which will lead to its destruction. I am fighting to prevent this from happening, since I have worked hard to obtain the party’s 19 mandates sitting here today,” Peretz said bluntly to Barak during the weekly faction meeting.
Peretz addressed MK Sneh’s resignation, saying, “It is hard to disregard his departure. Sneh is a well-known figure in Israel, and his socio-democratic outlook is valued by all.”
“The question at hand goes beyond the departure of one of our members. Nobility is required in order to negotiate with people who are not among one’s supporters,”
Continuing his criticism of Barak, Peretz said, “I would like to tell the party chairman that I have succeeded in maintaining relationships with who were not my supporters in a way which you don’t, and have found a way to keep lasting working relations with them. We don’t even have the minimally required dialogue or relationship with the party’s institutions or within the faction.”
Perez added that “the country is at a major crossroad in all aspects, and the Labor Party is not part of any initiative, involvement or daily agenda matters – neither politically nor socially.” Peretz proposed the establishment of a body that would enhance the dialogue within the party.
Despite the allusions to the party’s division, Barak spoke optimistically at the meeting. “We are facing a period of difficult decision-making, which requires us to be more united in action than usual,” said Barak, adding that “I regret Ephraim’s decision. He is an earnest, privileged man whom I’ve known a few decades. But when listening to him, I realized what his wish is, and to each his own.
“I am certain that the party will know how to overcome this departure and march forward hand in hand to lead the country. We have much work ahead of us to do together and I believe we can.”
Later on, Barak met with Shakib Shanan, which is due to replace Sneh as a member of the Labor faction in the Knesset.
