In a strange move, hundreds of former Likud supporters attend showed up at a rally at the Labor party headquarters in Tel Aviv n Tuesday.The rally was in support of the Histadrut’s (Labor Union) head and candidate for Labor Party chairman Amir Peretz.
The 400 former Likud supporters signed forms marking their official defection to the Labor party following the event.
“I know that moving from one political home to another is almost like changing families; it is difficult, but we have no choice, time is working against us,” Peretz told the enthused audience.
Yitzik Elharat of Sderot expressed frustration with the current Likud leadership, saying that the party did not help the people of Israel.
“All this time I paid taxes to the Likud and I worked at the party headquarters when policies were being determined,” he said. “Bibi (Benjamin Netanyahu) hurt me after I thought he’d help the people. I have many friends who feel the Likud does not tend to the needs of the people, but rather to those of businessmen.”
Former Likud supporter Moshe Peretz of Netivot said he decided to join the Labor party because the Likud is responsible for "the country’s terrible situation."
“I had no choice, though it wasn’t easy for me,” he said. (Amir) Peretz is one of our own; he managed to unite the religious and secular, right and left, and new and former immigrants.”
Such a step could encourage others from the Likud to declare defection to the Labor party. The Labor party has been suffering a major set back since Sharon took over in 2001.
