Barak: Labor will lead again
Chairman tells party convention, 'We plan on winning the next elections with will power.' After intense negotiations with Histadrut head's mediation, party heads agree next primaries in October 2012
"There is life in the Labor party. Let's roll up our sleeves. It is within our power to return Labor to leading the country," Chairman Ehud Barak said Wednesday evening during the party's convention.
"We plan on winning the next elections with sheer will power and the correct way. No one will teach us what it means to be committed to the State. The party lives. The old charter was not appropriate. We must not be afraid of changes," he said.
Addressing the dissent within the party over its charter, Barak said "how can we expect people to vote for us if we shoot each other on a daily basis? One day I'm referred to as (Venezuelen President Hugo) Chavez, and the next day I'm called Saddam Hussein. This constitutes character assassination.
"There are party members who are conducting themselves in an undemocratic and immoral manner. I won't succumb to the ideological dictatorship of members who do not accept authority," Barak added.
Knesset Member Shelly Yacimovich said in her speech, "There is a divide between the movement and the young people because of the land reform. We lost them this week because of ideology. Barak, I supported you in the primaries; I defended you before and after the elections."
"We are experiencing a deep ideological split. We are not dealing here with (charter) articles. Commandeering the party's structure will turn it into an empty vessel. This is not allowed. It is a bad charter," she said.
Labor conference (Photo: Yaron Brener)
Earlier Wednesday, Barak reached a compromise agreement with ministers Isaac Herzog, Avishay Braverman and Ophir Pines-Paz on the party's charter, according to which the next primary elections will be held in October 2012.
The changes to the charter, which also included increasing the power of the party's courts, were approved at the party's conference.
The deal, struck just hours before Labor's Central Committee convened, also states that should the general elections be pushed up, the party will hold primaries to determine its leadership ahead of the vote.
"We wanted the elections for Labor leadership to be held in February 2012, but the situation that was ultimately reached is better than what was in place previously," Pines-Paz told Ynet.
Barak and the three ministers met for three hours Tuesday evening, after which the ministers threatened to boycott the Central Committee convention in light of the chairman's refusal to accept their demands.
The compromise was reached with Histadrut Labor Federation head Ofer Eini's mediation.
Referring to Barak, Labor Faction Chairman MK Daniel Ben-Simon said during the conference, "Political leadership is built on understanding and convincing, not on charter articles. No article (in the charter) can grant moral authority if it lacks morality. Do everything in your power to promote understanding between the party members."
For the past few months Barak has been trying to alter Labor's platform in a way that would significantly increase his authority as party leader. One of the proposed amendments calls for holding primary elections just six months prior to the general elections.
According to a recent Rafi Smith poll commissioned by Ynet, Labor has reached an all-time low in public approval terms - if elections were held today, the party would win a paltry six Knesset seats, down from its current 13.
