Peretz, as head of the Labor Party, has the prerogative of choosing his party's ministers in the Cabinet - though he must receive the party's approval for his decisions, which is to happen later this week.
Following the resignation of Ophir Pines-Paz from the Science Ministry nearly three months ago, the post has remained vacant - and Peretz held his cards close to the chest, refusing to hint at his choice for Pines' replacement.
In the background was the Labor party leadership elections, called for this coming May, in which Peretz and Pines are both candidates. They both trail far behind front-runners Ami Ayalon and Ehud Barak.
Last week, Peretz made the dramatic announcement that he had chosen, for the first time in Israeli history, a Muslim Arab - Raleb Majadele - for a ministerial post. The problem was, according to Olmert's aides, that he neglected to inform Olmert before he informed the media.
Peretz's aides, for their part, offered to produce an itemization of phone calls made from his office to prove that the Prime Minister had, in fact, been informed first.
In any event, Olmert did not present Majadele's nomination to the Cabinet. He said only that the appointment of an Arab minister was an "event of positive significance whose time had come." He said he hoped to complete "in the coming days" the filling of ministerial posts by the Labor and Yisrael Beiteinu parties, "in accordance with their size." Labor, with 19 MKs, currently has only six ministers - compared to Kadima's 11 ministers for 29 MKs. Yisrael Beiteinu has only one minister, and 11 MKs.
Sources close to Peretz fanned the flames of controversy between Peretz and Olmert by blaming the latter for delaying Majadele's appointment in order to weaken Peretz's chances to be re-elected as Labor leader. They said that this would decrease the chances of Arab Peretz-supporters from joining the party before the Jan. 31 deadline. The sources said that Ehud Barak, who has also been canvassing support in the Arab sector, would thus benefit.
In short, Peretz supporters said, Olmert was "intervening in the internal affairs of the Labor Party."
This is not the first time bad blood has passed between Olmert and Peretz. In November, for instance, they accused each other of initiating contact with PA leader Mahmoud Abbas without informing the other. Other issues of dispute have involved the national budget and the handling of the war in Lebanon. The lack of full cooperation between the two has been a main reason for the perceived weakness of the current government.
Following the resignation of Ophir Pines-Paz from the Science Ministry nearly three months ago, the post has remained vacant - and Peretz held his cards close to the chest, refusing to hint at his choice for Pines' replacement.
In the background was the Labor party leadership elections, called for this coming May, in which Peretz and Pines are both candidates. They both trail far behind front-runners Ami Ayalon and Ehud Barak.
Last week, Peretz made the dramatic announcement that he had chosen, for the first time in Israeli history, a Muslim Arab - Raleb Majadele - for a ministerial post. The problem was, according to Olmert's aides, that he neglected to inform Olmert before he informed the media.
Peretz's aides, for their part, offered to produce an itemization of phone calls made from his office to prove that the Prime Minister had, in fact, been informed first.
In any event, Olmert did not present Majadele's nomination to the Cabinet. He said only that the appointment of an Arab minister was an "event of positive significance whose time had come." He said he hoped to complete "in the coming days" the filling of ministerial posts by the Labor and Yisrael Beiteinu parties, "in accordance with their size." Labor, with 19 MKs, currently has only six ministers - compared to Kadima's 11 ministers for 29 MKs. Yisrael Beiteinu has only one minister, and 11 MKs.
Sources close to Peretz fanned the flames of controversy between Peretz and Olmert by blaming the latter for delaying Majadele's appointment in order to weaken Peretz's chances to be re-elected as Labor leader. They said that this would decrease the chances of Arab Peretz-supporters from joining the party before the Jan. 31 deadline. The sources said that Ehud Barak, who has also been canvassing support in the Arab sector, would thus benefit.
In short, Peretz supporters said, Olmert was "intervening in the internal affairs of the Labor Party."
This is not the first time bad blood has passed between Olmert and Peretz. In November, for instance, they accused each other of initiating contact with PA leader Mahmoud Abbas without informing the other. Other issues of dispute have involved the national budget and the handling of the war in Lebanon. The lack of full cooperation between the two has been a main reason for the perceived weakness of the current government.