Knesset Member Chaim Oron, who was elected Tuesday night as the new chairman of the Meretz party, said it will not join the coalition government. MP Oron explained that his effort will be to increase Meretz's representation in the Knesset, where it now holds only five seats, the lowest ever.

He replaces MK Prof. Yossi Beilin, who backed Oron's candidacy. MK Oron easily crossed the required 50 percent threshold that prevented a second round of balloting. Running against him were MKs Zahava Gal-On and Ran Cohen.