Amir Peretz
Amir PeretzHezki Baruch

Labor Party chairman Amir Peretz said on Saturday that he has not yet made a decision on a possible union with Meretz ahead of the March 2 election.

"In 10 days I will decide whether an alliance with Meretz will benefit the left-center camp," Peretz told an audience in Ramat Hasharon, according to Channel 12 News. However, he also added, "Sometimes the whole is not larger than the sum of its parts."

In the previous election, Peretz refused to unite with Meretz despite much criticism from the left, claiming that the alliance between Labor and MK Orly Levy-Abekasis’ Gesher party draws voters from the right, thereby changing the balance of power.

On Friday, Kan 11 News reported that the Blue and White party is contemplating suggesting to Levy-Abekasis that she split from the Labor party and join its ranks in exchange for Labor running on a joint ticket with Meretz.

The Blue and White party rejected the report, saying, “This never happened.”

Meanwhile, MK Stav Shaffir who, in light of changes initiated by Meretz members on the Democratic Union list is already preparing for an independent run as chair of the Green Party, on Saturday called to prevent the dissolution of the Democratic Union, a joint ticket of Meretz, the Green Party and Ehud Barak’s Israel Democratic party.

"We must continue the Democratic Union and maintain the list as the other parties did," Shaffir said. "Let's do what the public demands, stop the preoccupation with internal issue, and go fight for the state together."