Last update - 00:00 14/06/2007
Barak recruiting Labor allies as he prepares for future PM race
By Mazal Mualem
Labor Party head Ehud Barak was to begin his second day in office Thursday morning by consulting with ministers from his camp of supporters - Benjamin Ben Eliezer, Shalom Simhon and Isaac Herzog.
He will then meet with outgoing party chair Amir Peretz, who is still defense minister, and pass the afternoon with the big loser in the party's primary, MK Ami Ayalon. The meetings will be held in Barak's new-old office at Labor headquarters in Tel Aviv's Hatikva neighborhood.
Barak's victory Tuesday effectively marks the start of his next campaign - for the prime ministership - and this will color all his moves from now on. Barak would like to bring the losers over to his side: Having logged a success with MKs Ophir Pines-Paz and Danny Yatom, he is turning to Peretz, who heads a large camp. Barak wants Peretz to continue serving in a cabinet post, and Peretz promised him by phone yesterday that he would make sure the party does not do to him "what it did to me."
Ayalon is a riddle. In their meeting today, Barak will try to figure out where Ayalon is headed. Barak already knows he wants Ayalon onboard, even if he is not a minister.
Barak outlined his goals in his victory speech: "The Labor Party must stand at the forefront as the State of Israel's democratic alternative ... I undertake to invest all my energy in strengthening the defense establishment and restoring the power of deterrence."
Barak will continue the campaign discipline that has characterized his moves to date. Aside from the victory speech, he has maintained his silence.
The throng of journalists waiting for him at his office after the speech received enigmatic smiles in answer to general questions such as "How do you feel?"
As he did in the campaign, Barak will strive to exude a sense of measured, orderly conduct. There was no rush to hold meetings on the day after his election. Instead, he will conduct them in an unhurried manner over the next few days, including a planned meeting with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who called Barak yesterday to congratulate him.
Other congratulatory calls came from Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu, Yisrael Beiteinu head Avigdor Lieberman and Shas leader Eli Yishai. Barak arranged to meet with all of them at a later date.
Although not an MK, Barak is now a key player in the political game, and he holds the Olmert government hostage.