Despite official 'no,' Peres puts out presidency feelers

Vice Premier Shimon Peres (Kadima) Thursday maintained the official position that he was not running for president. However, MKs and ministers who have spoken to Peres over the past few days said he had sent out additional feelers ahead of a possible campaign.

The matter is expected to come up in Peres' weekly meeting with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert next week. Sources close to Olmert have warned him that Peres may face another electoral defeat, unable to obtain the required majority of 61 votes in the Knesset in the face of assured support for MK Reuven Rivlin from a number of factions. Among the MKs supporting Rivlin are those from Kadima, Labor and the Arab parties.

Senior Labor officials said they believed that if Peres decided to run, pressure might be brought to bear on MK Colette Avital to withdraw her candidacy. Avital is campaigning heavily among MKs from all factions and members of the Labor Party Central Committee, the body that selects the party's presidential candidate. Avital, who said Thursday she would not hesitate to run against Peres, is to meet this morning with Defense Minister Amir Peretz, to ask for his support and that of the faction. However Peretz is under pressure, spearheaded by MK Yoram Marciano, to support Peres.

Avital has so far garnered the public support of ministers Yuli Tamir and Ophir Pines-Paz, and of MKs Ami Ayalon, Nadia Hilou and Matan Vilnai.

Peres will apparently run only if it is highly likely he will win, although even then he will be taking a chance, since voting is by secret ballot. For Peres, two key issues are the support of Olmert and Kadima and attaining the backing of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef.