TUFI Special Update: Trade Union Leader Amir Peretz wins Israeli Labor Leadership Race
Amir Peretz MK, leader of the Histadrut- Israel’s equivalent of the TUC, has won an historic victory over veteran party leader Shimon Peres to become leader of the Israeli Labor Party. Peretz’s narrow victory was achieved with 42.35 percent of the votes, while Peres was backed by 39.96 percent of voters. In third place was Benjamin Ben Eliezer, with 16.82 percent of the vote.
Although largely unknown on the international stage, at 54 years old Peretz has been a leading figure in Israeli politics for many years. In 1988 he was elected to the Knesset as a Labor member but he split from the party in 1999 to form the Am Echad “One Nation” party, which won two seats that year. Mr Peretz negotiated the merging of the two parties in 2004. He has visited the UK on several occasions and spoke at the TUC Congress and on the TUFI fringe in 2004.
Peretz used his victory speech to argue that the Labor party should redefine its priorities, focusing anew on such bread-and-butter issues as raising the minumum wage saying: “we will create a social-democratic party. We are also a party of peace and of a free economy. But not a free market which creates a slave market...peace will bring economic development, the economy will serve people, and this will form a circle that will also bring Labour support at the polls."
Morrocan born Peretz is the first Sephardi (non-European Jew) to lead the Israeli Labor party and he is seeking to open the party to Israel’s minority communities. In his victory speech and throughout the campaign, he spoke of of a new Labor Party constituting a home for Sephardim, workers of all ethnic backgrounds, new immigrants and other minority groups. He declared that the "ethnic demon" was Israel's most serious enemy and "we embrace our brothers the new immigrants, we embrace our brothers the Arabs, we embrace our brothers the Druze”.
Labor to leave Sharon's coalition
One of Peretz’s first political moves will be to withdraw Labor from Ariel Sharon’s national coalition government, probably precipitating an early general election. He stated that he would consult with the Labour Party membership as to how to depart from the government, saying “we wish to leave Sharon's government not as an adventure, but out of responsibility to Israeli democracy, the future of the State of Israel, and out of a desire to turn the Labor Party into a force that will win the next elections in Israel."
Ariel Sharon said last week that a Peretz victory could be a threat to Likud, recognising his pledge to leave the government and his electoral potential. The two are due to meet on Sunday to discuss matters further. If Prime Minister Sharon cannot maintain the current coalition or form a new one, then elections currently scheduled for November 2006, will be brought forward. There then remains the question of whether Sharon will stay with the Likud or seek to form a new party.
However Perez has offered an olive branch to his defeated rival Simon Peres in a call for party unity saying "Shimon, I want you by my side, Don't leave us alone, Shimon. If not for me, then do it for the party's sake; if not for the party, then do it for the country”
Rabin's Legacy
After Peretz’s victory was announced he visited the grave of Yitzhak Rabin, the Labor leader assasinated 10 years ago, where he pleged to put a peace accord with the Palestinians at the top of his political priority list saying "we will not rest until we reach a permanent agreement (with the Palestinians) that would secure a safe future for our children and that would provide us with renewed hope to live in a region where people lead a life of cooperation and not, God forbid, where blood is shed from time to time, I came today to make a vow to Rabin, once again, that I intend to do everything I can to continue his way, I intend to do everything I can so that [Rabin's] assassin would know he failed to murder peace."
British Trade Union leaders have congratulated Peretz on his victory. TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber welcomed the result saying “this vote reflects concerns among Israeli workers about economic security and government attacks on their rights. Amir Peretz is a globally respected trade union leader, committed to workers rights and to peace”. TUFI Chair Roger Lyons congratulated Peretz on “this famous victory for working people and their families. We retain our respect for the contribution of Shimon Peres the former leader and Vice-Prime Minister especially for his contribution to the peace process and links to the British Labour movement. From my close collaboration with Amir Peretz both on his vists to TUC Congress and in our discussions on delegations to Israel, I am confident that not only have the Israeli people gained a strong progressive leader for the future, the British trade unions have a close collegue leading the Israeli labour movement”.