Labor 'rebels' inch closer to ditching Barak for new party

Four Labor Party "rebels" - members of Knesset who make up the internal opposition camp to Ehud Barak's chairmanship of the faction - are expediting efforts in laying the groundwork for the establishment of a new party.

The four - MKs Ophir Pines-Paz, Amir Peretz, Yuli Tamir, and Eitan Cabel - have all reached the conclusion that they are no longer able to remain in a party under Barak's leadership.

Following Labor's poor showing in last February's general election, Barak angered party members by his insistence on joining a rightist coalition led by Likud's Benjamin Netanyahu, despite his promise that he would "accept the will of the voter" and sit in the opposition.

On Thursday, the rebels met with Labor veterans who no longer hold office, including former MK Danny Yatom and one-time ministers Avraham Shochat and Moshe Shahal. Those present at the meeting said it was clear that the lawmakers seemed intent on forming a new, social-democratic platform.

Haaretz has learned that Pines-Paz and Peretz - the two veteran MKs seen as most likely to head the new party - agreed that the individual who receives greater support in the polls will assume the title of party chairman.

At this stage, however, the four rebels are legally unable to break away from Labor. Israeli law stipulates that a minimum of one-third of the total number of MKs in any faction is needed in order to form a new party in parliament. Since Labor captured 13 seats in the 120-seat Knesset, the rebels would need at least one more Labor MK to break away from the faction.

Labor MK Shelly Yachimovich, another staunch Barak critic, is being lobbied by senior members of Kadima to join the new faction, Israel Radio reported.

Many in Kadima believe a split in Labor would serve their interests, since the centrist party has siphoned votes from the once-dominant movement.

Last month, Peretz did not rule out forming a new faction in the wake of the serious divisions that have pitted Barak against long-time party stalwarts opposed to his policies.

"Perhaps we will have to reinvent a new, genuine labor party, and I don't think that is too far off," Peretz told Israel Radio, hours after the resignation of party secretary general and former Barak ally Cabel.

"Barak is pushing for a split in the party with all his might and if he continues to avoid confronting us then the party members will have to consider their futures," Peretz said. The former defense minister added that Barak is dragging Labor to the right-wing camp rather than its former place in the peace camp.