Peretz: Barak forcing us to consider forming new party

Last update - 14:58 05/05/2009

Peretz: Barak forcing us to consider forming new party

By Haaretz Service

Ehud Barak's predecessor at the Defense Ministry and the Labor Party chairmanship, Amir Peretz, is not ruling out forming a new faction in the wake of the serious divisions that have pitted Barak against long-time party stalwarts opposed to his policies.

"Perhaps we will have to reinvent a new, genuine labor party, and I don't think that is too far off," Peretz told Israel Radio on Tuesday, hours after the resignation of party secretary general and former Barak ally Eitan Cabel.

"Barak is pushing for a split in the party with all his might and if he continues to avoid confronting us then the party members will have to consider their futures," Peretz said. The former defense minister added that Barak is dragging Labor to the right-wing camp rather than its former place in the peace camp.

Cabel, announced his resignation Tuesday morning following a bitter dispute with party leader Ehud Barak.

The move came five days before Labor's central committee was set to discuss Barak's intention to dismiss Cabel, a former ally of his.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1083187.html