Labor leader: We're holding elections because of one man only

MK Amir Peretz says elections are due to MK Liberman's 'racist hatred of Arabs and haredim.'

Labor-Gesher Chairman MK Amir Peretz on Monday afternoon began a party meeting by criticizing Yisrael Beytenu Chairman MK Avigdor Liberman.

"The third round of elections, which excites all of us, is due to one man: Avigdor Liberman," Peretz said. "The hatred and racism that Avigdor brought into the political system, by ruling out the Arabs and ruling out the haredim in a disguise of 'aiming for unity,' is one of the greatest lies Israel's political system has ever seen."

"It is unthinkable that in 2020, political racism against Arabs and haredim will be a political plan. And yes, Liberman has no other plan. If we don't rid ourselves of these things, we will find ourselves dragged after [Israeli Prime Minister] Binyamin [Netanyahu] and Liberman to a fourth round of elections."

Regarding the elections, Peretz said: "We, Labor-Gesher, will provide a large and exciting alternative. Today, we all know that what makes the difference is the size of the bloc, not the large party. Only if Labor-Gesher is large and strong will there be a government of change in Israel. We succeeded in our first connection, of Labor with Gesher, with Orly Levi-Abekasis. In Israel today there is proven social leadership, and it is our joint leadership. I intend to enlarge and expand this connection. We need to ensure that there will be a bloc of 61 Knesset seats for a government of change. We will examine everything when the time comes."

MK Levi-Abekasis said: "Today we saw the horrific statistics in the Alternative Poverty Report, by Latet. This criminal negligence will exact a very high price from Israeli society, and it is already beginning to show. Just last week, we saw how poverty influences educational achievements, how it influences compromise on medical treatment. Today's hungry children are our future generation - we must do something."

"For their sake, for our own sake, and for the sake of the State, I call on all the parties to demand a national emergency plan to deal with poverty. I hope that no matter what the political constellation looks like, we will receive the power from the public in order to keep these issues at the top of the priority list."