News Brief

(IsraelNN.com) Labor party chair and Defense Minister Ehud Barak has asked Carmela Menashe, military correspondent for Voice of Israel government radio, to be responsible for handling complaints from the public regarding the IDF. She said she is considering the offer but "nothing has been decided." She has a long record of defending soldiers' rights and investigating improper behavior among IDF officers but also has presented a bias in favor of left of center positions.

Her joining the party in an official capacity would place her with other former journalists who have flocked to Labor. Former television reporter and Voice of Israel government radio newscaster Shelly Yechimovich was elected Knesset Member in the last general elections. Haaretz journalist Daniel Ben Simon also recently joined the party.