Faces opposition. Barak
Photo: Dudi Vaaknin
'Ideological bankruptcy.' Tamir
Photo: Yotam Frum
Barak opposers in Labor say won’t try to overthrow him
Party members meet in Tel Aviv, decide to focus on convincing committee to reject chairman's proposal to join Likud-led government
Labor members who are against joining a Likud-led coalition met in Tel Aviv Thursday evening and decided act toward convincing the party's committee to oppose any attempt to join Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu's burgeoning government.
The party officials also decided not to focus on trying to oust Ehud Barak, and instead encourage the Labor Committee to reject the chairman's proposal to participate in the next government.
Education Minister Yuli Tamir said during the meeting that joining the coalition would constitute "ideological bankruptcy", but stressed she would not work towards overthrowing Barak.
"Israel needs a (political) alternative, and this alternative cannot be created from within the government," she said.
Labor MKs Eitan Cabel, Shelly Yacimovich, Daniel Ben Simon, Ophir Pines-Paz and Amir Peretz also attended the meeting.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu is expected to meet with President Shimon Peres on Sunday and ask him for a 14-day continuance in order to form the new government.
The move is apparently also aimed at giving a chance to present to the Labor committee on Tuesday his proposal to launch formal coalition negotiations with Likud.
According the Israeli statute, the original presidential mandate of 28 days, which expires on Friday, can be extended by up to a fortnight.
