 |
 |
 |
|
|
Peres after one of his seven previous losses (file), this one to none other than Amir Peretz for Chairman of the Labor party
|
|
|
|
|
|
| By israelinsider staff May 13, 2007 |
|
| |
 Bookmark to del.icio.us |
| |
The presidential campaign adviser to Vice Premier Shimon Peres this weekend told his client not to enter the race.
Senior adviser Eyal Arad that Peres that he was unlikely to get the necessary votes in a secret ballot, Haaretz reported, and that a defeat would be disgrace his public and international image. Peres is already branded as a loser among the Israeli public, having lost an unprecedented seven elections for top offices. A further obstacle to a Peres win in the current presidential election would be the candidacy of MK Collette Avital, endorsed by the Labor Party, who would siphon off votes in the first round.
Over the weekend Peres aides decided to canvas MKs in hope of obtaining the required majority. Peres and his supporters have worked hard to win the support of Shas. The party's spiritual leader, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, has not yet endorsed him and Shas MKs will be likely to vote only for a candidate who can win. Peres' loser images makes that unlikely.
In his penultimate loss, the 2000 run for President, Peres was sure he was going to be elected based on public promises only to discover that Knesset Members whom he thought he had in his pocket turned against him in the secret vote, electing Moshe Katsav. Peres is not so much liked as feared by other politicians, so a secret ballot frees them from intimidation and lets them settle scores.
Aides to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert are pressuring Peres to announce his decision as soon as possible, Haaretz reported. Kadima reportedly wants sufficient lead time to support another candidate (most likely, Knesset Speaker MK Dalia Itzik) if Peres walks away. The only two official candidates so far are Avital and MK Reuven Rivlin (Likud). |
|
 
|
|
|
|
Click on the blue headline to read a Talkback comment and respond to it. Click on the  icon to send a private email to the talkback writer. The icon appears only if the writer has decided to be contacted. If no popup window appears, please make sure your popup blocker allows israelinsider.com.
|
|
| |
|
|
