Last update - 00:00 03/06/2007
Peretz endorses Ayalon in race for Labor party chairmanship
By Mazal Mualem, Haaretz Correspondent, Haaretz Service and Reuters
Outgoing Labor chairman Amir Peretz on Sunday announced his support for former Shin Bet security service director and naval commander Ami Ayalon in the second round of the party's leadership primaries.
Former prime minister Ehud Barak finished first in last week's vote, with 36 percent to Ayalon's 31 percent. Since neither crossed the 40 percent threshold, a runoff was set for June 12. Peretz came third with 22 percent.
Peretz and Ayalon met Saturday night for a third time, in an attempt to cement a final agreement between them.
Speaking to Channel 2 Television, Peretz said Sunday that he had decided to back Ayalon due to their "shared social agenda."
Barak, meanwhile, is planning to launch a campaign against Ayalon, in reaction to his deal with Peretz, under the banner: "Vote Ami and you'll get Amir."
Stickers carrying the slogans are intended to be distributed in the kibbutzim, presumably in an attempt to aim for Ayalon's base of support. Polls reveal that Peretz enjoys very limited support among Labor members in the kibbutzim.
Another tactic used by Barak's campaign managers is to allude to the possibility that Peretz and Ayalon had decided on an alliance even before the first round of the primaries. Barak's campaign will issue another sticker to address this issue, this time with the slogan: "The Peretz-Ayalon-Ramon fix."
Meanwhile, Barak and his men are trying to secure support from the Arab sector. Infrastructure Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer is especially active in this drive.
Despite this, associates of Minister Raleb Majadele, who is a key figure in the Arab public, told Haaretz that the minister supported Peretz. The sources added that Barak's campaign managers had contacted Majadele and offered that he support Barak instead of Peretz - who appointed Majadele to his ministerial position.
Barak: Ayalon-Peretz union an "unholy alliance"
Labor chairmanship candidate Ehud Barak on Sunday called the union between Ayalon and Peretz was an "unholy alliance," adding that he feels a strong current of support for his campaign.
Barak on Saturday contacted associates of Peretz, including avid Peretz supporter Raleb Majadele, in an attempt to cause a rift in the Peretz camp, and convince Majadele to support his campaign.
Sources close to Majadele have stated that he is part of Peretz's social campaign, but that he will happily answer any request for a meeting.
In an interview with Army Radio on Sunday, Majadele reiterated his support for Peretz's position adding that there is "no way that he (Peretz) will support Barak."
"Ami Ayalon is a leader who can manage dialogue, understand cultures, politics, and is completely open and forthcoming, as opposed to Mr. Barak, who hasn't spoken all week," Majadele added.