BICOM

Labour MK Isaac Herzog, who is challenging Shelly Yachimovich for leadership of the party in a vote on 21 November, yesterday said he would make Labour a “mass movement” once again.

Labour Party regulations state that in the event of losing a general election, the party must hold a leadership vote within fourteen months. Labour secured fifteen seats in January’s election, precipitating this month’s leadership primary. Herzog, who heads the party’s Knesset faction, is a former government minister and son of former-President Chaim Herzog. He announced his candidacy in August, having secured the backing of senior Labour MKs Eitan Cabel and Erel Margalit who had also been considering a leadership challenge.

Speaking at a rally last night, attended by a reported 1,200 party members, Herzog pledged “We will bring Labour back to the days when most of the public supported it.” The Labour Party and its forerunners governed Israel exclusively from 1948-77. Taking aim at his opponent, Herzog said that under Yachimovich’s leadership “Labour will not be strong and won’t lead the government.”  Herzog said he would give the party a wider focus and a stronger position on the peace process. He commented, “Without peace, we cannot fix the problems in society.”

Labour MK Merav Michaeli attended last night’s event, indicating her support for Herzog. However, with the exception of Cabel and Margalit, the remainder of Labour MKs are thought to support Yachimovich. Yesterday though, three city mayors, including Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai released a statement of support for Herzog, calling him “the right man to lead” and strengthen the party, predicting that he would “bring back many supporters who left it.”