Labor MK Eli Goldshmidt announced his resignation from the Knesset last night, expressing his disgust with the way his party colleagues abandoned Ehud Barak and are now “returning like vultures to gather the left-behind loot.” He was referring to leading Labor MKs who did not actively support Barak in the election campaign, but are now seeking the party leadership. MK Uzi Bar’am said in response that supporters of Barak should hide their head in shame after the way Barak destroyed the party. MKs Tzvi Hendel (National Union) and Nachum Langental (NRP) called upon Goldshmidt not to resign. Hendel said that it is important that people of Goldshmidt’s caliber remain in the Knesset, and that the “knife-wielders and little politicians must not be rewarded.”
Ironically, Eli Goldshmidt’s seat in the Knesset will not be filled by a Labor colleague of his, but by a member of the Gesher party - Moti Mish\'ani. This is the result of the 1999 agreement between Labor and David Levy\'s Gesher party, according to which three members of the latter were to be integrated into the Labor list of Knesset candidates. Together with Meimad, the three parties formed the One Israel list, and Mish\'ani happens to be the next name on the One Israel list. Gesher has since come to be less supportive of Labor, and Mish\'ani is expected to join Gesher party colleagues David and Maxime Levy in supporting, and probably joining, the new Sharon government.
Ironically, Eli Goldshmidt’s seat in the Knesset will not be filled by a Labor colleague of his, but by a member of the Gesher party - Moti Mish\'ani. This is the result of the 1999 agreement between Labor and David Levy\'s Gesher party, according to which three members of the latter were to be integrated into the Labor list of Knesset candidates. Together with Meimad, the three parties formed the One Israel list, and Mish\'ani happens to be the next name on the One Israel list. Gesher has since come to be less supportive of Labor, and Mish\'ani is expected to join Gesher party colleagues David and Maxime Levy in supporting, and probably joining, the new Sharon government.