Subscribe to Print Edition | Tue., February 17, 2009 Shvat 23, 5769 | | Israel Time: 21:09 (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 Joy of Giving Travel Week's End Anglo File

Last update - 02:24 12/02/2009 Soul-searching on the left By Editorial Tags: israel news, Labor  Click here for exclusive Haaretz coverage of the elections in Israel Despite the lack of clarity about the next government, one thing is becoming painfully clear - the entire left-wing bloc has suffered a crushing defeat in the election. The Labor Party, whose founders achieved great things in the state's early days, has dwindled to 13 Knesset seats and is now the fourth largest party after Yisrael Beiteinu. Meretz, which had hoped to thrive in its new incarnation, was dealt a bitter disappointment, cut down to a mere three Knesset seats - barely enough to get into parliament. Advertisement This sweeping downfall can of course be explained by the support of many left-wing voters for Tzipi Livni, to halt Likud's Benjamin Netanyahu. This explanation should not be dismissed out of hand, but it is not the only reason. Both left-wing parties have suffered a crisis and their leaders - Ehud Barak and Haim Oron - failed to read the deep changes in the Israeli political map and led their parties to a dead-end. Labor's identity crisis has been known for many years. Ever since Yitzhak Rabin's murder, the differences between this party and Likud have been indiscernible. Twice its leaders (Amram Mitzna and Amir Peretz) made an ideological move for peace and social change, and twice party members refused to back their chief and let him fail. This time around Barak led the Labor Party to the election on the flimsy argument that he was capable and the most qualified to "answer the phone at 3 A.M." Meretz has other problems. From the moment it was formed, as a merger of Mapam, the Citizens' Rights Movement and Shinui, its ideology has been dissolving. Its gifted, inspired and courageous leaders have retired, leaving the party without a leadership to keep it from sinking. Oron was wrong when he made Yossi Beilin Meretz's previous leader. Beilin symbolized a peace policy, but alienated the party from large interest groups. Oron erred again when he presented himself in the election campaign as a man "everybody loves." Both parties failed to provide a convincing alternative. They must rehabilitate and rebuild themselves in the opposition as a serious left alternative to the right-wing bloc that won the election. Their leaders are responsible for this failure - Barak and Oron must move aside. Bookmark to del.icio.us   967 days of captivity Officials say Israel may authorize terms for Shalit deal Wednesday. Muslim superheroes A new comic book features a new kind of character to battle radical Islam.   1.   Agree wholeheartedly 03:37  |  Michael N 12/02/09   2.   Left Must Care About Israelis Not Israel`s Enemies 10:44  |  Baruch Gold 12/02/09   3.   The stain of "Peace Now" must be erased 15:10  |  Noah 12/02/09   4.   Haaretzshugganas, Begin By Looking in the Mirror 03:44  |  Tod Zuckerman 13/02/09   5.   A leftist death-blow to peace 05:25  |  allang 13/02/09   6.   Turn Right in the far-north of Israel 19:33  |  HAL 13/02/09   7.   Israeli LEFT must think 10:37  |  moshe Israel 15/02/09   8.   Oh great, does that mean haaretz is redundant? 20:19  |  Fein N. Dandy 17/02/09

Read & React Is Israel assassinating Iran nuclear scientists? Responses: 78 Bradley Burston: Sure the Israeli right won? Peace lost? Look closer Responses: 44 Barak tells IDF: Iran nukes are an existential threat to Israel Responses: 30 Akiva Eldar: A rightist coalition will be on collision course with Obama from day one Responses: 40 Yitzhak Laor: Left's demise began with support for Barak's war on Palestinians Responses: 11 'Palestinian Authority strongman once called Lieberman key to peace' Responses: 14 More Headlines 20:55 IDF: Hamas stole cache of unexploded Israeli ordnance in Gaza 17:09 Hamas leader Meshal: No Shalit deal before Gaza truce 09:00 ANALYSIS / Why has Israel backtracked on Shalit deal? 18:17 Is Israel assassinating Iran nuclear scientists? 14:40 Report: Iran seeking Russian missiles to repel Israeli assault 19:26 Obama officials meet U.S. Jews to explain their Durban II policy 20:04 Israel resumes annual shipment of Golan apples to Syria 20:56 Tennis Channel boycotts Dubai event after Israel's Peer barred 08:49 ANALYSIS / A rightist coalition will be on collision course with Obama from day one 18:46 Lawyer guilty of Holocaust cash fraud to be jailed at once due to flight risk 18:56 Labor No. 2: Neither Netanyahu nor Livni could forge coalition 20:29 Shas chief: Israel must free Jewish prisoners jailed for nationalistic crimes 13:06 Majadele: Arabs likely to quit Labor if Barak remains leader 13:08 Lieberman, Livni mull 'civil front' to counter religious bloc 15:08 Report: Ahmed Qureia dismissed as PA negotiator in Israel talks 17:38 Egyptian army conducts series of war games on Sinai Peninsula 10:23 'Palestinian Authority strongman once called Lieberman key to peace' 05:57 Vichy government found responsible for deporting Jews in WWII 20:51 Naama the chimp leaves her human home Previous Editions Select Day 16 feb 15 feb 13 feb 12 feb 11 feb 10 feb 09 feb 08 feb 06 feb 05 feb 04 feb 03 feb

Special Offers Advertisement Spring Specials-Dan Hotels Jerusalem from 179$. Tel-Aviv from 223$. Herzliya from 336$ Dead Sea Skin Care Quality cosmetics from the Dead Sea. Coupon code HAARETZ for 12% off! Summer in Israel Israeli style - Tzofim Chetz V'Keshet 2009 Passover Vacations The BEST Passover Vacations around ? Mexico, Arizona and Florida Camp Kimama Israel 2009 The best place for your children this summer Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on online reservations Jewish Singles Personal Ads Find the love of your life on JDate.com Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | | Israel 2009 election results

Site rules | Makom: Engaging on Israel | Search engine marketing

Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved