Subscribe to Print Edition | Sun., November 16, 2008 Cheshvan 18, 5769 | | Israel Time: 01:51 (EST+7)   Back to Homepage web haaretz.com Haaretz Toolbar Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate GA 2008 Travel Week's End Anglo File

Meretz chief looks to galvanize left wing with new political party By Roni Singer-Heruti Tags: Shlomo Ben-Ami, Haim Oron  More than 25 people are expected to gather Friday morning in the first meeting of the new left-wing bloc initiated by Meretz leader MK Haim Oron. "Our intention is not to form an extra-parliamentary movement and those who take part in the gathering will eventually appear on a list running for the Knesset," a source close to the new coalition said. The organizers intend to hold a founding gathering of some 200 people in about three weeks. The group will mark the third largest political bloc in Israel. Advertisement Among those expected today are former Labor Party figures Uzi Baram, Avraham Burg, Yossi Kucik, Gilad Sher, Mordechai Kremnitzer and authors A.B. Yehoshua, Amos Oz, Ronit Matalon and Dorit Rabinyan. Former Labor Party minister Shlomo Ben-Ami, who was mentioned as a supporter of the new group, apparently had a change of heart and will not join the meeting. Nor are Labor MKs who have been negotiating to join the group, such as Ami Ayalon, Ophir Pines-Paz, Michael Melchior and Education Minister Yuli Tamir. The participants of this morning's meeting are expected to discuss the principals of the new group and schedule additional meetings to decide who would actively take part in the Knesset list. The left-wing group would be headed by Oron, behind whom the party's Knesset list would be formed and would include Meretz people and newcomers. The bloc would absorb the Meretz identity and organizers hope that politicians from other existing parties would be persuaded to cross over. Oron wants to appeal to potential voters in all parts of society and insisted on including activists from a new Green movement, such as Shai Cohen, Rami Livni and Eilon Schwartz. He also invited musician Sharon Kantor and people who have long been affiliated with the Peace Now movement including Tzali Reshef and Janet Aviad, as well as Nimrod Aloni and others. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Enough is enough Livni says time will come when Israel tells Gaza militants: Enough! Oxbridge anti-Semitism Report: Oxford students face anti-Semitism charges over 'pretty Jewish girls' party.   1.   Good news 07:37  |  Danite 14/11/08   2.   how to lose your brain without really trying ?join meretz 10:54  |  victor hardman 14/11/08   3.   These people are collectively insane. 12:00  |  Meretz Carrots 14/11/08   4.   Yes we can! 15:17  |  Gesttetner rebbetzin 14/11/08   5.   #3 Yes Meretz can and should disappear. 19:33  |  Chaim 14/11/08   6.   Didn`t Stalin say the `left` was insane? 20:34  |  Daniel Garcia 14/11/08   7.   Amos Oz/A.B. Yehosuha not brainless 20:55  |  bronxite10 14/11/08   8.   Nature of the new party? 22:06  |  Slibovitz 14/11/08   9.   This reminds me of the Life of Brian. . . 23:24  |  Mark Lincoln 14/11/08   10.   Left of Leiberman doesn`t really define a true "leftie" 23:50  |  Natallie Durson 14/11/08   11.   #5 - Mark - This is how the left is reorganizing 23:51  |  Slibovitz 14/11/08   12.   Natalie and David Duke 01:36  |  bronxite10 15/11/08   13.   Silbovitz - I cannot remember 07:17  |  Mark Lincoln 15/11/08   14.   Precisely my pont Silbovitz 07:24  |  Mark Lincoln 15/11/08

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