There's little left of Israel’s left

A process that will likely bring an end to Israel’s Labor Party concluded on March 30. For the moment, Labor has only three members in the current Knesset — Chairman Amir Peretz, Itzik Shmuli and Merav Michaeli — and various reports indicate that Peretz and Shmuli have reached an agreement with Blue and White Chair Benny Gantz to join the Netanyahu-Gantz government. In exchange, they will probably receive the economic and welfare portfolios.

Before the September 2019 election, Peretz swore to voters that he would never participate in a government led by Benjamin Netanyahu. As if to prove his seriousness, he performed the circus-like act, which he considered “humorous,” of shaving off his trademark bushy mustache. He announced to the nation, “That mustache has been with me for 47 years, ever since I was a young armaments officer in the 890th Brigade. After consulting with family over the last few days, I decided to remove my mustache. I called a barber to come to my house, in the hope that the removal of my mustache will be accompanied by the removal of the cloud overshadowing the Labor-Gesher party. I want it to be clear to everyone: I will not join a Netanyahu government. Period.”