Incumbent Ron Huldai votes in Tel Aviv
Incumbent Ron Huldai votes in Tel AvivIsrael news photo: Flash 90

Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai threw down the gauntlet on Monday, all but declaring his candidacy for leadership of the Labor party.

In a letter to party faithful on Monday, Huldai slammed Yitzhak Herzog's management, saying the chairman had created an “anarchic” situation that the party would find very hard to live down.

The anarchy we face, in which each MK does what he or she wants, and runs their own personal agendas - often the complete opposite of what others in the party are doing, or what the party stands for - is unacceptable," Huldai charged. 

"Especially at this time, the party must ensure that it is a bastion of democracy and free speech, so that members can have an impact on its agenda," he added. 

On top of Huldai's agenda is improving relations with the United States. “This is a very important issue, and it requires Israel to make efforts to restart the peace process. Our agenda must be to separate from the Palestinians in order to ensure that Israel remains a Jewish state."

If we do not conduct this separation soon, the two state solution will expire and within a few years Jews will be a minority between the Jordan and the Mediterranean. As we restart the peace process, we will improve our relationship with the US and Europe.”

Also bothering Huldai was the name “Zionist Union,” which he suggested jettisoning in favor of the party's previous name, Labor. “I think that would be a positive development, because the name Labor has important values.”