Yossi Beilin, who is running for head of the new extreme left-wing party Yachad, says that primaries need not be held, and that the party's leader should be chosen by an internal survey. Beilin, who served in the past as Justice Minister and Deputy Foreign Minister, was thwarted in his bid to become a Knesset Member in the last elections. He called upon MK Ran Cohen, who heads the Meretz party - slated to be a major component of Yachad - to agree to his idea. "It would be unfortunate for the Left to waste its efforts on internal fighting instead of presenting a united front against the Prime Minister," Beilin said. Cohen immediately rejected the idea.
Beilin is supported in his bid for party leader by MK Zahava Gal'on, while MK Cohen has the support of Peace Now leader and former MK Mossi Raz. Meretz leader Yossi Sarid has said that he will not run for the position.
Meanwhile, the Labor Party is having its own problems. MK Matan Vilna'i says that having Shimon Peres continue to serve yet another year as temporary chairman is intolerable, and shows that the party is "tired." Most other MKs, however, including leader-hopefuls Ben-Eliezer, Burg, and others, are in favor of keeping Peres around as temporary chairman for another year.
Beilin is supported in his bid for party leader by MK Zahava Gal'on, while MK Cohen has the support of Peace Now leader and former MK Mossi Raz. Meretz leader Yossi Sarid has said that he will not run for the position.
Meanwhile, the Labor Party is having its own problems. MK Matan Vilna'i says that having Shimon Peres continue to serve yet another year as temporary chairman is intolerable, and shows that the party is "tired." Most other MKs, however, including leader-hopefuls Ben-Eliezer, Burg, and others, are in favor of keeping Peres around as temporary chairman for another year.