its about time that Peres realizes it is time to leave the arena and take his loss like a man

I wouldn't term Peretz's win a surprise but it is certainly an upset. First, he was able to use his chairmanship to bring in the vote, perhaps illicitly (but labor never runs clean elections). Peres is discredited and will either contest or retire from politics, in any case Labor will leave the coalition. Sharon will either have to call new elections are find some way to rebuild the Likud "grand coaltion" that he so assidiously destroyed. He has some chance of forming new party, but most likely is that the indictment will go out of Mazuz's drawer and send him too into retirement. The paradigm of reshuffling the deck or turning over the card table has returned.

I have paid more than $50,000 in income tax this year. If Peretz wins the election he will undo alot of Bibi's tax reform and next year i would pay alot more. Peretz has cost the country Billions of shekels with his strikes, money that could have gone to the poor. I despise this man, and if he becomes Prime Minister, i am out of here. I am sure other people will follow and he will destroy this country. Lets hope the Likud gets their act together. G-d help us if Peretz wins an election.

That Peretz, Peres and Fuad were the best that Labor could dish out for its leadership proves that the party is totally washed up. An old, worn-out politico, a stuck-in-time, oldfashioned socialist and a clueless dimwit have consigned the party to the dustbin. Now is the time for Shinui to come through with the goods, but only if they could replace the abrasive Tommy Lapid...

How did it happen that such a muppet got so far in politics. If he ever gets voted in as PM, this country's economy will go down the tubes. According to the Knesset website, Peretz' education finished at Sderot High School ! Up until now, I have always been a Labour voter, If somebody hat told me 3 years ago that I would be voting for Sharon in the next election, I would have laughed at them. I m not laughing anymore !!!!

Shimon go home,you are an 8 time looser. Amir Peretz will destroy the country & bankrupt us, he has no experience in domestic & foreign affairs. The last thing we need is a socialist government in Israel.

At last a possibility of new spirit, a real alternative appears on the horizon. Still has to be remembered that Peretz, although new Leader of the Labour, is only one person. To build an alternative for the "pig-capitalism" in our country, a lot has to be changed in the Party and over the country.

New elections and soon. Shinui will take the place of Likud and Labor . Remember Rabin !! Time to drive religious Zionism back home to America and Russia.

Hey Sabra, The Russains came, and now the Americans. Long live aliyah! Long live Zionism. Deal with it or drink the water in Gaza.

Stalin/ Hugo Chavez / Maradona and Castro all in one person ! Great !

Shinui will certainly benefit from all the anti-sephardic racism in Israeli society. More mature voters will remember that you can't run a country only on negatives, you actually have to some ideas on what to do. Shinui is good at rewarding it's friends, and sneering at it's enemies but it is a party of racists and bigots.

I'm publishing an essay on Hanukkah - about the civil war between the Jews and the ORIGINAL Hilonim. Your comment will certainly make it into that essay.

Hey #5: I just love those die-hard lefties and right wingers who promise to leave the country if their party loses the elections! Democracy entails accepting a loss in the elections. Hey #6: Labor destroyed itself by letting in the PLO trojan horse and simultaneously giving up their social view. They became a party that stands for nothing with old farts and generals running the show. Hey #7: Look how many under and unemployed college grads there are in Israel! He did pretty well for himself with his high school degree... His best idea: Ban the Manpower agencies! Hey #10: Shinui is an invisible party. They haven't done anything but fluff talk. And even though I'm not religious and disagree with 90% of their views, religious zionism seems to have a lot more passion and steadfastness than any other zionist stream (see #5's post if you don't get what I mean). Hey #11: 8 Americans per year doesn't count.

I'm confused. Who do you support then ?? Nobody ? I want peace and a normal life. I want rid of the Khanists and the extremists . Whats wrong with that ? I also want revenge for Rabin. F*** the settlers , f**** em.

As someone who will come on Aliyah in February next year I am delighted at this news! I know there are not many zionists left in Israel but I thought the Jewish people were supposed to be or l'goyim- what better way to set an example to the rest of the wold than by trying to create a more equal society? I know taxes are high in Israel but what type of society do we want to live in- one where its every man for himself? Or one where the strong take care of the weak. Peretz is no Marxist he just wants to create a fairer society, where there are not gaping holes between the rich and the poor- we all know how damaging such social divisions are. We need someone of vision to lead the country and inspire us to build a better future- Peretz could be than person.

A free market economy that supports entrepreneurship and education is what Israel needs. We have been heading in that direction and creating a stronger economy for all. I made Aliya, set up a company from nothing and employ 20 Israeli's. This is what the country should be striving for. I do not believe Peretz has the knowledge or ability to understand how this will benefit the country in the long term.

How nice to learn that there is even one single western potential olim thinking like you are thinking. Even as #18 may be right.

I don't support any party. I just want Israel to be like Finland or Australia, and not a second-rate version of America. In essence, a country where high tech entrepreneurs AND teachers are both held in the highest regard. I like your idea - maybe there should be a "Peace & Normal Life" party. No Khanists allowed.

Rabin in the Knesset -- October 5, 1995 -- one month before his assassination - said NO to a Palestinian state NO to uprooting even "a single settlement" absent final peace agreement YES to blocs of settlements "like Gush Katif" YES to Gush Etzion and Efrat "and other communities" YES to Joseph's tomb YES to 70% of Judea & Samaria YES to building in Judea & Samaria to accomodate natural growth Excerpts from Rabin's speech, a month before his assassination, are as follows (the complete speech appears in the Foreign Ministry website archives as pointed out by Dr. Aaron Lerner of IMRA): "We view the permanent solution in the framework of ... a Palestinian entity ... in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. We would like this to be an entity which is less than a state.... And these are the main changes, not all of them, which we envision and want in the permanent solution: A. First and foremost, united Jerusalem, which will include both Ma'ale Adumim and Givat Ze'ev B. The security border of the State of Israel will be located in the Jordan Valley, in the broadest meaning of that term. C. Changes which will include the addition of Gush Etzion, Efrat, Beitar and other communities D. The establishment of blocs of settlements in Judea and Samaria, like the one in Gush Katif.... As a Jewish nation, we must, first and foremost, pay attention to the holy places.... We have found a solution to the matter of Joseph's Tomb in Nablus.... The current agreement will enable students to travel daily to the Tomb. The inside of the Tomb will be guarded by armed Israelis. As for the other Jewish holy places -- most of them are located in Area B, which is under the overall security control of the IDF... Areas A and B constitute less than 30% of the area of the West Bank. Area C, which is under our control, constitutes more than 70% of the area of the West Bank. [W]e have committed ourselves to an additional redeployment, in three stages. I must emphasize that we have not committed ourselves, and I repeat, we have not committed ourselves to the scope of the redeployment at each stage.... I want to remind you: we committed ourselves, that is, we came to an agreement, and committed ourselves before the Knesset, not to uproot a single settlement in the framework of the interim agreement, and not to hinder building for natural growth."