Labor leader Barak
Photo: AP
Labor party disappearing
Latest poll shows grim state of what used to be Israel’s perpetual ruling party
There is no way to soften the blow in the face of the following reality: The Labor party
is disappearing.
According to the latest poll, had the general elections been held today, Labor would win a mere eight Knesset seats. Eight. A grim one-digit figure. At this rate, even Binyamin Ben Eliezer, who has a guaranteed spot on the party’s Knesset list behind Ehud Barak, may find himself left out. Perhaps Ami Ayalon’s recent decision to leave Labor is not as delusional as it initially appeared.
Labor Party Chairman Ehud Barak says that the real poll is the one held on elections day. This is correct, and indeed, we are only talking about polls at this time. There are 80 days left before the elections – eternity in Israeli terms – yet the Labor party has good reason to regret the day where its leader called for Olmert to be replaced.
If things continue at this rate, Barak and Olmert shall go home together.
What is particularly amazing is that two parties representing limited sectors within Israeli society – Yisrael Beiteinu and Shas – have easily overtaken what used to be, once upon a time, our perpetual ruling party. Even Meretz is getting close to Labor, with seven Knesset seats according to the last poll.
Likud officials, on the other hand, can celebrate. Those who feared there would be no room on the Knesset list for all the stars that joined it in Bibi’s latest “shopping spree” should think again. With 32 Knesset seats according to Mina Tzemach’s survey, there is room for another shopping spree even.
The Likud gained six Knesset seats in the polls in three weeks, and it may gain even more it appears. Kadima, on the other hand, lost three Knesset seats, which apparently went over to Likud.
Kadima Chairman Tzipi Livni will quickly have to pull something out of her sleeve in order to minimize the gap. A rabbit, it appears, would not suffice here.
