Amir Peretz
Amir PeretzMiriam Alster/Flash 90

Labor chairman Amir Peretz is still considering a merger with Ehud Barak’s Israel Democratic party and Meretz, contrary to his recent statements, Channel 12 News reported on Friday.

Meretz and Israel Democratic announced early on Thursday morning that they will merge into one list called the Democratic Union. Stav Shafir left the Labor Party and joined Democratic Union as well.

According to Channel 12 News, Peretz met on Thursday night with Meretz MK Esawi Frej and Noa Rotman, granddaughter of former prime minister Yitzhak Rabin and a member of Barak’s party, and said, "If my joining will bring the bloc 60 seats, I will be with you."

Peretz's meeting with Frej and Rotman followed a meeting he held the day before with Yair Golan, the number two candidate on Barak's list, the report stated. The meeting between the two took place in the wake of Golan’s desire to look into a future alliance with Peretz and two other members of Barak's list.

Golan denied the report and said, "My relationship with Barak is excellent, this is a political spin at my expense."

Meanwhile on Friday, Israel Democratic denied that it had held any contacts with Peretz, saying, "The news is misleading and inaccurate. There was no negotiation about an alliance with the Labor Party. The news is a smokescreen and another attempt to harm and thwart the unification of the democratic camp."

(Arutz Sheva’s North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Arutz Sheva articles, however, is Israeli time.)