Presidential race: Peres to stage comeback?

Monday evening finds the political arena once again buzzing with the possibility of 14-term MK Shimon Peres vying for the honorable position. Senior Labor officials associated with Defense Minister Amir Peretz say that there is a good chance that Peres will win the support of the party. But the lead candidate now appears to be MK Reuven Rivlin. Peres, it would seem, won't rush to contend and fail again unless he is guaranteed the position. Peres has said in the past that he may enter the race again "if the conditions were right."

Labor officials say that representatives on behalf of both Peretz and Peres have met several times over the past few weeks and have discussed the issue.

Currently, Peres' official stance insists that he will not contend. Either way Rivlin appears to be warming up his engines. He recently gave up his spot on a delegation headed for China later this week for an MK from Kadima. The official motive for his actions are that coalition members riled against the fact that there were only opposition members on the delegation, however sources say that recent developments in the Presidential race have made it impossible for frontrunner Rivlin to leave the country at such a crucial stage.

Rivlin stands to benefit the most from current President Katsav's entanglement. Rivlin enjoys the support of the Prime Minister, members of Likud and other right-wing parties and even coalition chairman Avigdor Itzchaky has openly supported his candidacy.

Attila Somfalvi contributed to the report