Labor Chairman Ehud Barak
Photo: AP
Controversy in Labor over legal advisor's suspension
MK Cabel says Barak, who led suspension move, is attempting to turn Labor into Yisrael Beiteinu
Labor Chairman Ehud Barak caused uproar in his party by leading a move to suspend its legal advisor, attorney Yoram Avrahami. Labor's secretary-general, MK Eitan Cabel, criticized Barak and said he was attempting to "turn Labor into Yisrael Beiteinu".
Cabel was absent from the Labor's secretariat meeting Friday, during which the decision was made to suspend Avrahami pending a hearing on his case.
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According to claims against him, Avrahami publicized legal opinions regarding the party without first consulting its chairman. Barak told Avrahami that he would be suspended until a hearing led by three secretariat members was held.
Attorney Haim Cohen, who is affiliated with Infrastructure Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, will take Avrahami's place until then.
A short while after the decision was made Cabel criticized Barak severely, and said the meeting had violated the party's institutional values. "There is certainly no validity to a decision made at such an odd convention, from which the secretary-general was absent," he said.
"It's unfortunate that the chairman, who only yesterday promised to secure the party's unity, is once again turning his declarations into houses of cards," he added.
"The party has a constitution and institutions and the decision made this afternoon has no validity. Thus the party's legal advisor is not suspended and he will continue his office, which he fills excellently."
Labor officials claim Barak is seeking to dismiss Cabel from his position, but the MK says he will not resign.
Cabel was not the only one to criticize the decision. Labor's youth movement also issued a statement to this effect. "The chairman Barak has begun to quickly cleanse anyone who would stand in his way, as was the manner in many a dark regime," the statement said, referring to the decision, led by Barak, to join the Likud's government.
Avrahami, currently on personal leave in Eilat, told Ynet that the meeting did indeed convene unlawfully as the secretary-general is responsible for designing the party's schedule. He said he had informed Barak of this during the conversation, and that he would fight the decision upon his return.
