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Zionist Labor Leader Unseated as Peretz, Gabbay Advance to Party’s Leadership Runoff

Zionist Labor Leader Unseated as Peretz, Gabbay Advance to Party’s Leadership Runoff
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Local Editor

Former ‘Israeli' Labor party leader Amir Peretz and ex-Kulanu minister Avi Gabbay on Tuesday advanced to the second round in the party's leadership race, in an upset that saw incumbent Isaac Herzog unseated from power after four years at the helm.

Zionist Labor Leader Unseated as Peretz, Gabbay Advance to Party’s Leadership Runoff

Peretz was in the lead with 32 percent [10,141 votes], followed by newcomer Gabbay with 27% [8,395], as the polls closed on Tuesday evening. The two top contenders will face off next Monday, since no single candidate received the required 40% of the vote in Tuesday's first round to declare a winner.

Herzog, the party leader since 2013, received just 16.7% of the vote [5,204], with Labor MK Erel Margalit close behind at 16.1% [4,997]. Labor MK Omer Bar Lev received just six percent.

The turnout in the primary stood at 59%, or 30,998 Labor voters.

In a statement on Tuesday evening, Herzog congratulated Gabbay and Peretz and thanked his followers.

"The members of the Labor party have spoken. I respect their decision," said Herzog.

Peretz, a former war minister who led the party as a junior coalition party under Kadima over a decade ago, has been campaigning vigorously for the post since December.

"I am proud of my accomplishment and am convinced I will win in the second round, after which we will replace Netanyahu," said Peretz on Tuesday.

Gabbay, meanwhile, was seen as the dark horse in the race, bringing a right-wing political history to the party.

In a speech to supporters late Tuesday, he vowed to battle to ensure Labor is able to form a governing coalition in the ‘Israeli'-occupied entity, "not join a coalition" - a reference to intermittent coalition contacts between Herzog and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu which ultimately led nowhere.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team

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