Herzog wins Labor primaries; Merav Michaeli 5th on party list
Leftist journalist Michaeli big winner of Labor primary despite opposition from party leader Yachimovich; leaders of social protest movement also claim realistic spots ahead of Knesset elections. Likud: Radical leftist roster
Knesset Member Isaac Herzog won the Labor primaries and is placed second on the party's roster ahead of the elections for the 19th Knesset in January, while MK Amir Peretz will fill the third spot.
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However, the big winner was television personality and Haaretz commentator Merav Michaeli, who claimed the fifth spot despite the fact that she did not have the support of party leader Shelly Yachimovich, whose top spot is guaranteed.
The leaders of last year's social protest also appear to be heading to the Knesset: Stav Shaffir made it into the top 10, three spots before fellow social protest leader Itzik Shmuli.
Yachimovich and her team after results announced (Photo: Benny Deutch)
According to the official results of the Labor primaries, which were announced Friday morning, Eitan Cabel is fourth on the party's roster. He is followed by Michaeli, veteran MK Binyamin Ben-Eliezer and party secretary Hilik Bar. Col. (res.) Omer Bar-Lev is in eighth place, social activist Shaffir is in ninth place, Avishai Braverman is in 10th place, Erel Margalit is in 11th place and former National Student Union chairman Shmuli claimed the 12th spot.
"This roster is no less than amazing. I couldn't have dreamed of a better lineup for the list, which constitutes a young, winning and promising leadership," Yachimovich said after the results were announced.
"The UN vote on observer state status for the Palestinians is a political failure, and this is what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman bring with them. This is what happens when you don’t take control over the process. The poverty report is another of Netanyahu's failures," she added.
Labor supporters celebrate at Beit Berl (Photo: Benny Deutch)
Fifty-eight percent of the 60,000 eligible members of the Labor Party headed to 68 polls across the country on Thursday to choose their party's roster from among 83 contenders.
Polls show that the first 18 to 21 Labor members on the list have a realistic chance of being elected to the next Knesset.
According to the full results of the Labor primaries, the party's lineup for the 19th Knesset elections is as follows:
1. Shelly Yachimovich
2. Isaac Herzog
3. Amit Peretz
4. Eitan Cabel
5. Merav Michaeli
6. Binyamin Ben-Eliezer
7. Hilik Bar
8. Omer Bar-Lev
9. Stav Shaffir
10. Avishay Braverman
11. Erel Margalit
12. Itzik Shmuli
13. Miki Rosenthal
14. Michal Biran
15. Nachman Shai
16. Moshe Mizrahi
17. Danny Atar
18. Raleb Majadele
19. Nadia Hilo
20. Nino Abesadze
21. Yona Yahav
22. Daniel Ben Simon
23. Ofer Kornfeld
24. Hili Tropper
25. Yona Prital
"This is a strong list that will put up a fight against the Likud," Herzog told Ynet. "The list is central with diverse opinions."
Peace Now Secretary-General Yariv Oppenheimer (28th spot) and Noam Shalit (39th spot), the father of former Hamas captive Gilad Shalit, are not likely to win a Knesset seat.
Hundreds of Labor supporters and social activists who packed the party headquarters in Beit Berl to hear the results waved Israeli flags and chanted "We are replacing the government."
Likud issued a statement saying Labor's "radical leftist list is a reflection of its chairwoman Yachomovich, who voted for Hadash (Arab party). This is a radical leftist list that enthusiastically supported the disengagement, which led to Hamas' rise to power in Gaza and may bring Gaza to Jerusalem."
Moran Azulay is a Ynet and Yedioth Ahronoth correspondent
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