Former Barak ally to run for party leadership
A former ally of outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Barak announced today that he is seeking the leadership of the Labour Party.
Communications Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer became the second Labour official to announce his candidacy, after Parliament Speaker Avraham Burg.
Barak’s political future, meanwhile, remained uncertain. Immediately after the election, he said he planned to step down as Labour Party leader and give up his seat in parliament.
However, Barak is now weighing an offer by Prime Minister-elect Ariel Sharon to serve as defence minister in a Sharon government.
Ben-Eliezer told a news conference today that he hopes to rehabilitate the party. ‘‘I decided to run for the leadership of the Labour party because of the tough situation we are in due to the severe blow dealt by the elections,’’ he said.
Two other senior Labour officials, Cabinet Minister Haim Ramon and Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami, have said they are also considering a candidacy.
