If the country's defense is in the hands of the wrong minister, and if everyone in the government recognizes this, the public should not be concerned by who is heading the Labor Party at the end of May - but by who is filling the defense portfolio tomorrow morning. The lack of public responsibility among elected officials, foremost Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Amir Peretz, can go only so far. The breakdown in their relations illustrates the government's disconnect from what is really important for the country, and the extent of the selfishness of those in power.

The claim that the defense portfolio "belongs" to the Labor Party due to the coalition agreement is shameful - since the head of the party took the job upon himself, knowing nothing about it, and has proved he is incapable of assessing his skills and limitations, lacks the candor to admit it, and is unwilling to relinquish the post to a more appropriate person.

Amir Peretz destroyed his own career, and he is not worthy of compassion or understanding - only disposal from office. Since Labor is a party with working institutions, is not built around the passing popularity of a charismatic leader, has already recovered from factionalism and the assassination of its leader, and knows how to put forth an agenda and offer new leadership - it should not make do with the anomaly of Ehud Barak declaring his candidacy for "the party leadership and the post of defense minister."

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This is not the way a parliamentary system is structured, nor is it how a government should function. Peretz, assisted by his party, must leave his post, and someone worthy should replace him immediately, regardless of the results of Labor's May primaries. Labor will hold internal elections, and the winner will be a candidate for prime minister. The public will follow the developments in the party, and decide how to vote accordingly.

If the prime minister had some leadership qualities, he would have replaced the defense minister a long time ago. Given that Peretz is not regarded as a successful defense minister - not by members of the government, or even the other Labor ministers - it can be assumed that if Olmert were to present Peretz with an ultimatum and ask him to take a different portfolio, Labor would not leave the coalition.

However, that is not how scores are kept in the government. Barak announced he is a candidate for defense minister so he wouldn't be seen as a threat to Olmert; Peretz announced he would not step down so that he could maintain his power before the Labor primaries; and the entire government is sitting and waiting for the five members of the Winograd Committee to do the work the government was elected to do.

This cowardly behavior, which lacks any semblance of statesmanship, is sufficient to show all of them as unworthy of serving in the government. It is impossible to negotiate with the Egyptians, the Palestinians or the Chinese, and to make promises regarding military preparations against the Iranian bomb, when a minor thing that needs fixing is not being fixed.