Former Labor MK Eitan Cabel spoke to Israel National News on Monday, at the Eilat Journalists' Conference, and commented on the fact that the Labor Party almost disappeared in the last election, winning just four Knesset seats.
"There is no single answer to this," he said, referring to the reason that led to his party's dismal situation. "It's a long process. I yelled about it and paid a price for it. It's no longer the same party. There is no connection between the party that founded the country and led the country, the government of Ben Gurion, Rabin and Peres, it’s something different, and when it's something different it has no right to exist."
The Labor Party in its current form, he opined, should join Meretz as an Israeli left-wing party, but not to be branded the Labor Party. Asked whether the left even exists now, Cabel replied, "It's a matter of definitions and that’s for political scientists to figure out. It's less of a question of whether it's an economic, political or social left. These are two parties with quite overlapping worldviews on political, security, economic and religious and state issues and it doesn't matter what we call it. There is no reason why these two parties should not join together. In any case, I repeat, the Labor Party has run its course."
Regarding the key appointments in question in the next Netanyahu government, Cabel said that "it is no secret and I say this bluntly, that I detest Smotrich's positions, although I say that I have a very high regard for him and he knows it, and we also have a kind of friendship between us. That is the truth."
On the possible appointment of Aryeh Deri as Minister of Finance, Cabel said that in his estimation Deri can definitely be a good Minister of Finance, although this would be a mistake on his part, as he will not be able to fulfill all his promises, even from the last campaign. "But in his worldviews, he is a social socialist, compared to Smotrich whose views are libertarian, right-wing capitalist."
On the Defense Ministry, Cabel said that if Smotrich had consulted him, he would have advised him not to take this role. "I understand that this is an opportunity for him to show Ben Gvir that he is above him, after they talked so much about Ben Gvir as the one who brought about the great achievement, but this is one of the cases where the fears in Israeli society are understandable, whether they are justifiable or not. He ought to seriously think about it. He could be an amazing Minister of Transportation. This is the most important position in my opinion today."