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Labor 'rebels' to quit party
Four MKs most outspoken against joining gov't coalition decide to split off and form their own faction; 'party has lost its way,' they say
Attila Somfalvi
Four Labor party 'rebels' - Ophir Pines-Paz, Eitan Cabel, Amir Peretz and Yuli Tamir – came to a final decision to quit the party and branch off on their own, on the grounds of their dissatisfaction with their party's decision to join and remain in the coalition, Ynet discovered Friday.
The four met in secret Thursday night with several members of the party's 'old guard', in order to advance the creation of a new, left-wing party.
The secret meeting was hosted by former minister Moshe Shahal and was attended by former MK Danny Yatom and former ministers Ora Namir and Aharon Yadlin. Former minister Avraham Shochat also supports the move, but is involved behind the scenes.
An additional meeting is expected in the upcoming days to follow up on agreements reached at Thursday's meeting, among them the plan for Shahal to appeal to the Knesset House Committee to allow the creation of a break-away party.
"The reality that (Defense Minister Ehud) Barak has created is impossible and the party has lost its way. We can't continue this way," involved sources told Ynet.
According to Israeli law, in order to create a new faction, at least a third of a party must be in favor of splitting off in order for the Knesset to approve a splinter faction. Given that the Labor party has only 13 mandates in the current government, the 'rebels' only need the support of one more party MK in order to succeed in their move.
"It's not clear exactly what we're going to do" once we split off, one source told Ynet, "but it's clear that a change needs to be made."
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