MK Shelly Yacimovich (Labor) has become the first woman to lead Israel's Labor party since Golda Meir in the 1970s. She beat off a challenge from former Labor party leader MK Amir Peretz (Labor) by 9%, in the second and final round of voting by 41,482 party members yesterday.
The victory came six years after Peretz himself persuaded Yacimovich to leave her career in journalism and run for Knesset on the Labor ticket.
In a short victory speech at Labor party headquarters, she thanked her supporters and said, "This campaign was not simple and there is a long way to go now for us. A new window of opportunity has opened up to reawaken the Labor party and reconnect with the historic values of the labor movement and link up to the new spirit which is sweeping through the State of Israel."
She added, "I thank you all not just for the volunteering but because you are a new and wonderful generation that is breathing hope into the country. We will achieve our aims only by marching together and as a unified party."
Peretz phoned to congratulate Yacimovich and said, "I hope that you carry the burden of responsibility and that we are able to create a joint faction that can cope with all the important topics confronting Israel."
Published by Globes, Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on September 22, 2011
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2011