Former Labor chairman Shimon Peres announced Wednesday he was ending his political activity in the Labor Party and would support Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in the upcoming March elections. Peres stated that Sharon was the appropriate person to head a coalition of peace and security. He said he was supporting Sharon as the person who had the best chance of restarting the peace process with the Palestinians. „In my opinion, the appropriate person to head the coalition that will bring peace is Arik Sharon,” he said at a special press conference that he convened. „My party activities have concluded,” he added. „I held talks with him [Sharon] and I am convinced that he is determined to continue the peace process. I was informed that he is open to creative ideas to attain peace and security. I have decided to support him in the elections and to cooperate with him in attaining these goals.” „This is a difficult day for me in which I ask myself: What is the central issue standing before the state of Israel in the coming years and at present? I have no doubt that it is the unavoidable combination of peace and diplomatic advances. I ask myself how I can contribute in the coming years, and the answer is by advancing the peace process that will contribute to a thriving economy and social justice.” „It was not easy but I made the choice and decided,” Peres, 82, said on his decision to leave the party he has been a member of for 46 years. Peres, who has held every major Cabinet position, lost the race for Labor chairman three weeks ago to Amir Peretz. Highlights in Peres’ Labor Party career 1959 – Peres enters politics and is elected to fourth Knesset as part of Mapai; serves as deputy defense minister 1965 – Joins David Ben-Gurion in quitting Mapai; appointed secretary general of Rafi – Israeli Workers’ Party 1968 – Merges Rafi and Mapai, and helps establish the Labor Party 1969 – Peres is appointed minister without portfolio in Golda Meir’s cabinet, is later appointed to a number of ministerial positions in her government 1974 – Peres faces Yitzhak Rabin in race for Labor chairmanship and loses; Rabin gets 298 Labor central committee votes, while Peres attains 254 votes 1977 – Rabin appoints Peres as defense minister; the tenure is characterized by heightened tensions between the two 1977 – Rabin’s government falls due to desecration of Sabbath while receiving F-15 fighter jets. Peres faces Rabin in party primaries and loses by 41 votes 1977 – Rabin resigns from Labor chairmanship due to scandal over dollar account. Peres leads Labor party in elections against the Menachim Begin-led Likud and loses. Peres remains Labor chairman in the opposition 1984 – Peres serves as prime minister from 1984-1986 in national unity government, and is replaced in 1986 by the Likud’s Yitzhak Shamir, under whom he serves as foreign minister 1988 – Peres loses to Shamir in elections and joins unity government, in which he serves as deputy prime minister and finance minister 1992 – Peres is appointed foreign minister in Rabin’s second tenure as prime minister, where the two sign the Declaration of Principles with the Palestinians. Peres, Rabin and Yasser Arafat are awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. 1995 – Rabin is assassinated following a Tel Aviv peace rally; Peres is appointed party chairman, and serves as prime minister until the 1996 elections 1996 – Benjamin Netanyahu and the Likud defeat Peres 1997 – Ehud Barak is elected Labor chairman and Peres stays on as an MK. Other party members launch an initiative to nominate Peres as a presidential candidate, a move that Barak opposes 1999 – Barak defeats Netanyahu in the race for prime minister; Peres is appointed Minister of Regional Cooperation 2000 – Peres loses in presidential race against Likud candidate Moshe Katsav. 2003 – Amram Mitzna loses elections to Ariel Sharon and quits as head of Labor Party. Peres is elected temporary leader, joins national unity government to support disengagement plan and serves as Vice Premier 2005 – Peres vies for Labor chairmanship against Amir Peretz and Benjamin Ben-Eliezer; Peretz defeats Peres by a margin of 42% to 40%
BPI-info
BPI-info
