In an interview with Yisrael Hayom, which will be published in full tomorrow, Minister for Community Advancement Orly Levy-Abekasis responds to criticism from left-wing voters who are disappointed with her party, Gesher. Polls show Gesher attracting virtually no support in a future election.
"After the first round of elections in which Gesher did not pass the electoral threshold, I wanted to leave the race," she said. "But Amir Peretz did not give up and started chasing after me to make an electoral pact with him. In the end I agreed, on the condition that Gesher remained independent in every way. But I didn't want the association with Meretz. That happened behind my back. Amir Peretz didn't want it either, but there was a lot of pressure from people within Labor and Meretz - probably with the aim of ousting Peretz. In the end, I stayed because Peretz appealed to me to do so, saying he needed me in order to remain in his position" as Labor party leader.